Mundane chores or as I like to call it, bonding with my kitchen...

Sometimes, the same ole thing just gets boring. That was the case with my same ole, same ole dishes.

I decided it was time for a change. I was finally going to replace these clear glass dishes and the chipped black stoneware ones with a matching set. I ordered eight small square plates and eight bowls. I could have purchased an entire set, but didn't want the cups or the large plate, so I just ordered them individually. They are very pretty--red and black. 

While dishes may not seem like an important part of your life, think about all the times you look at them. There are all those meals; breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ever day. How many times do you wash the same old dishes, over and over again? Sometimes I wash them by hand, but mostly I use the dishwasher, loading and unloading day after day.

The dishes hold all the leftovers. They are sometimes vessels for cat food or they can hold tiny nuts and screws when I'm trying to fix something and have to take things apart. I've used these dishes to death. It is time for a change.

I'm a little ahead of myself. I actually have parts of two sets of dishes that I use everyday. Ours is an eclectic household.

One set of our dishes is older than the other. One contains dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and cups that we've used for so long I can't even remember where they came from. They are clear glass, yet have been very durable. Replacement pieces can be found at garage sales and stores like Walmart and Target. I guess that is why we still have at least a serving for eight. For two people, that may sound a little excessive, but I'm not so sure it is. Thinking back, we used those dishes when are kids were still home. That was a long time ago.

A few years ago, we came across a real bargain--an interesting set of black square dishes that both my husband and I really liked. They were dirt cheap, a service for four, which seems to be how most dishes are sold nowadays. Isn't it funny how the price for four is now what it used to cost for eight? At any rate, we started using these new, pretty, stoneware dishes. We found that we liked square plates better than round ones, though I'm not sure why. We used the salad plates regularly because the dinner plates were just too huge. Of the entire set, the only thing we really used were the four salad plates. They were just the right size for us.

There were only two bowls with the set. I don't know if there were two that had broken, or if there were only supposed to be two. We don't use them however, because they are way too big for one serving size of cereal or salad. There were four cups too, but again, they were huge. Because they are stoneware, a whole cup of coffee would be too heavy to hold comfortably.

The bottom line is that we were still using many of the pieces of clear glass dishes; we used the bowls, salad plates, and cups. Admittedly, when I didn't do the dishes in time, we were relegated to using the old round clear dinner plates.

They came this week. Lo and behold, the plates are much smaller than I had hoped. I ended up ordering the large plates after all. They will arrive next week and we will finally have matching dishes once again.

I wanted a nice, clean place to put them, so I ended spending the morning cleaning cabinets. One thing led to another, resulting in a little spring cleaning. I cleaned and rearranged most of the cabinets in the kitchen, moved some things around, throwing away some unnecessary junk and filling a box for a future garage sale. I even cleaned off the top of the refrigerator, a place my 5'2" self never sees. That was epic in itself. That led to cleaning out the refrigerator, and making a few salads we can enjoy in the coming days.

Funny how one thing leads to another, including organizing the spice cabinet. I wonder how hard it will be to find things in my new, improved kitchen?

I worked hard today, but bonding with my kitchen was good and satisfying. Thank you Springtime, for the added burst of energy and enthusiasm that always happens at this time of year.

The good life!

This has been a spectacular Spring. Not only do I have high hopes for the vegetable garden, sprinkled with a couple inches of Mother Nature's unique liquid nourishment, but I have had some fun in other gardens as well.

All the rain has left the ground feeling like actual dirt, rather than hard concrete. My measly strength was enough to coerce the weeds out of their comfort zone. Love wet weather for that reason.

Earlier this week, the weather was cloudy and cool, perfect for working outside. I spent the morning tidying up the garden immediately in front of the house.

A couple years ago I thought it might be nice to add some Vinca to the flowers there. Hah, bad idea; the Vinca had taken over. That stuff sure grows well around here. If I hadn't pruned it last fall, I'm sure it would have walked in the front door and confiscated my favorite easy chair by now. So, as much as I hate doing away with anything that grows, I decided the Vinca just had to go. The best way to be rid of it, short of poison, which I abhor, is to just pull it out. It took hours, but that is just what I did.

Reclaiming this tiny little space and planting a few flowers in it, was the result of a hard day's work. I just love using our many, many, many rocks to actually serve a purpose--lining flower beds. 

There was also another part to this project. Just to the right of the garden is a tiny water feature. There were a couple giant plants that had to be transplanted because the pond was completely obscured from the porch. I cleaned out the area also and planted a few flowers. 

This little water feature has a waterfall and makes the most lovely music which provides the perfect ambient sound for pondering on the porch. That Nandina in front of the pond is one of two that I transplanted. Thanks to the rain we've been getting, the plants didn't suffer from transplant shock at all. It had previously been right where that 'duck crossing' sign is posted.

Our pond is home to a new resident frog, a happy, noisy little guy.

The final act for my days of outside fun included burning some leaves, twigs, and other yard debris, including some of that Vinca. I built a little fire pit, which is basically a ring of rocks placed on bare ground, a while back and had been filling it with small branches that had fallen out of the trees, and other similar yard waste. There was an old grapevine wreath and the remains of a half whiskey barrel that had seen better days that I threw in there as well.

The other day, I lit the fire, but not until I made sure my new kink-free hose (yeah, we'll see how that goes?) was ready to go, just in case. The fire burned all day. At times I coaxed it along a bit, raking leaves into place and stirring things around a bit. I love burning. There is just something about a good fire.

I love living in the country and being able to efficiently dispose of yard debris. The ash will go great in the compost pile and will one day help the flowers grow.

This morning I finished up an epic task--cutting the lawn. After a quick trip to the grocery store/gas station, I filled the lawn tractor tank and set out to make it look a little more livable around here.

There is no better season than Springtime and nothing feels better than sprucing things up a bit and working outside. There is still plenty to do, but this work is good work. I just love living in the country!

Goldfinches aplenty

Springtime is looking up. The oak leaves are just about full size; the seeds are falling from some pretty brisk winds. While it seems to have taken forever to get some decent weather, the sun is shining brightly, even though that wind guarantees a slight chill will remain in the air.

That's OK though because I've noticed a few fledgling finches at the bird feeder. In fact, they are filling the feeders and the trees.

There is a hint of yellow in these feathers, so I am assuming these are goldfinch babies. I've been watching them now for a few days. There are much bigger than when they first arrived. There are about a dozen of them and they must believe there is safety in numbers.

They feed and perch at the same time, often talking to one another, tussling over the perfect spot at the feeder or on a special branch.

Speaking of goldfinches, this morning I was driving down the road and as I passed by, a yellow tornado seemed to arise out of the ditches.

Goldfinches must be migrating because there were dozens of them along the side of the road. The sound of the car startled them and the rose quickly from the ground where they were feeding.

We normally have plenty of our own resident birds, so perhaps many of them are just passing through visiting some of their extended family or just hanging out before their long journey up north.

Whatever the reason, it is always a delight to see that beautiful, bright, burst of yellow flying around. I think goldfinches may be one of my favorite birds.

Beautiful, foggy, moody morning in the Ozarks

Foggy, moody morning

It is Springtime in the Ozarks, in what might be considered the rainy season.

Personally, I love everything about this time of year, especially the rain. We have had pretty dry conditions the last several years, so any amount of rainfall can only be considered beneficial.

Bleeding Heart weeps

Not only do April showers bring May flowers, but it also invokes a kind of moodiness that I just love.

My favorite lilac

Today is actually the first day in a while that it hasn't rained. At least moisture wasn't falling from the sky. Instead, moisture was all encompassing. It provided a thick blanket of fog and heavy dew. Moisture was everywhere; it might as well have been raining.

Leaves were covered with droplets, making this Bleeding Heart look like it was shedding real tears.

I took the opportunity to walk around the house. I let my nose lead the way, directing me toward various stands of lilacs. The fragrance was intoxicating.

My favorite is this double white lilac, which I've written about before. It is special to me.

Its leaves were also spotted with water droplets.

My miracle butterfly

I knew yesterday was going to be a good day because of how it started; the word miraculous comes to mind.

I had been feeling a bit sluggish lately, void of my normal Springtime fervor to clean up and air out the house, get the garden planted, and bring new life to my houseplants by finding them a new, albeit temporary home outdoors. I suppose I had fallen victim to the less than perfect seasonal weather that is not conductive to my desired tasks. My moods are definitely inspired by outside forces, like the weather, especially the older I get. So here it is May already and I haven't washed a single window.

When I got up in the morning, about 6:30, it had all changed. The birds woke me, as did the sun shining in the bedroom window. It was chilly outside, but there was promise in the air. Forecasts were predicting a beautiful weekend. I didn't need prognosticators though; my psyche seemed to sense it.

So I bounded out of bed, fed the cats, filled the bird feeders, made a new batch of hummingbird nectar, and satisfyingly reached for that first cup of coffee. I got dressed and started putsing around in the back room of our house, the room with windows on all three sides overlooking the backyard and the woods. It is from here that I like to watch deer and birds or settle in to read a book, or enjoy a rainy day. It is my favorite place in the house. 

I had already taken some plants outside, but there was more to do. Some required additional care. For example, I had a Mother-In-Law's Tongue that clearly needed to be re-potted. I took it onto the deck where there was a partially used bag of potting soil. I left it there a couple days ago after re-potting some tomato seedlings for a container garden on the deck.

When I opened the bag, I noticed movement. That always freaks me out, as I've heard about snakes hiding in bags of potting soil. I was not in the mood for that! But upon closer inspection, I noticed a Black Swallowtail butterfly. It must have metamorphosed inside the bag.

Clearly, this butterfly wasn't well. Its wings had lost their luster, and some of their shape. It wasn't moving very much. It must have tried to fly, judging by the condition of its wings, but it had nowhere to go. I carefully let it climb onto my finger. I brought it to an azalea blooming in the front yard. I placed it onto the flower. At first it looked like it held on for dear life. I left it alone there. 

8 plants separated from one plant

As I went about my other tasks, such as planting what had now grown into eight Mother-In-Law's Tongues, I made an excuse to check on Madame Butterfly. Each time, she was still alive and close to the same spot where I left her. At one point she was on the ground seemingly trying to climb up an iris plant, her feet making tiny, barely visible white marks in the green of the leaf. I picked her up and attempted to put her back on the flower. She hopped onto the back of my leg. Then she disappeared. I looked all around and saw no sign of her on the ground or in the flowers. I can only assume she flew away. 

Later that afternoon, while sipping tea on the front porch, I noticed a swallowtail flitting across the yard. I have no way of knowing if it was the same one, but I hope it was. While I'm hoping, I'm also counting on her living a healthy, productive life in the fresh air surrounded by an abundance of food sources. Perhaps she will be able to lay lots of eggs that can get a much better start to their life cycles. 

For the winter weary, Spring is here!

I consider myself among the winter weary. Even here in the Ozarks, this winter was a little too cold, a little too snowy, and a lot too long. Despite it all, the calendar says it is Springtime, and until this weekend, that was good enough for me. I decided to take a walk around the property though, just to check it out--to make sure. I liked what I saw. I did!

The following are just a few of the subjects I had the pleasure to enjoy as I walked. 

I can't wait to enjoy the sweet fragrance and beautiful colors of the lilacs. This particular plant was here when we moved here nine years ago. It was among several bushes planted in the shade of the house. Then never bloomed until one year when we dug them up and moved them. Now, we get a few more flowers each year.

These lilacs are getting their leaves

Below is a Bradford Pear, intent on flowering. It won't be long now. We have a pair of them in the yard. I'm sure there will be more in the future as they are just delightful little trees. I always marvel at how early they flower. Often times, these are used by landscapers who use them to line driveways, sidewalks, or to decorate a small suburban front yard. We had no such organizational plan when we planted it, except as an anchor for a small garden. Basically, I just like it. Flowering is a plus on this attractive, perfectly shaped, conical tree that is beautiful in every season.

Bradford Pear about to bloom

Oh, the sweet scent of the hyacinth...Is there anything more lovely? I have always loved this sweet staple of the Springtime garden. Rarely do I see the flowering bulbs in a garden center, that I don't go over to take a whiff of its intoxicating fragrance. As one of the earliest flowering bulbs, it remains one of my favorite Springtime garden pleasures.

Soon-to-be white hyacinths

Our property, which sadly doesn't have many wildflowers, is peppered with these lovely little Wild Asters--at least I think that is what they are. They are tiny little lavender clumps and are abundant at this time of year. When I first moved to the Ozarks, I was amazed at the wildflowers that grow in some of the most unusual places. If only people chould be as strong as these tiny woodland flowers. They appear every year, no matter the weather, even if snow is on the ground. They can be found in pathways, in lawns, gardens, and anywhere else they feel like growing. They are tough, little flowers that only make me want more. Their perfect little daisy-like petals are simply lovely. And what a beautiful sight for winter-weary gardeners.

Wild asters

It is a ritual of Spring to look for the daffodils. Like clockwork, they bloom each Spring with a satisfying reliability. They too are tough little flowers that have the ability to brighten any Spring day. It won't be long before these turn into that sunshiny, yellow cupped flower, some of which always make it into the house. Often times, they are the first bouquet of the year. These plants were also here when we moved in. We moved here in January, so I had no idea what was planted previously. What a delight it was to see them pop through the layers of dead oak leaves, and then to produce their lovely yellow flowers. I have since planted many more, in different colors and varieties. I love them all.

Daffodil buds

Who doesn't love the look of a Crab apple tree in full bloom? I am still waiting for that lovely view. This young tree, planted a couple years ago to commemorate Earth Day, just one month away, is still young, but I'm hoping it flowers this year. On our woodland, rocky property, I'm just grateful that any tree we plant survives. This one looks to be in good shape, which pleases me greatly. Crab apple trees are a delicacy for deer. I don't now how they missed this one, since they are never too far away. Lucky, I guess. This will be a pink flowering crab, and I can't wait to see it in bloom. Maybe this is the year...For now, I'm just thrilled to call it a sign of Spring.

Crab apple tree

This is the bud of a magnificent Magnolia tree. I was very worried since just as the buds began to swell, we had a cold, and snowy day, complete with freezing rain. There is a little damage on some of the buds, but overall, it looks like we will have a tree full of flowers very soon. I just love the look of magnolias in bloom.

Magnificent Magnolia

Yes, there will be strawberries! This year, I will mulch with straw, apply diatomaceous earth, and spray a mix of garlic and peppers to ensure that I will get berries. These plants produced beautifully last year, but I didn't get any of fruit thanks to the slugs and sow bugs that ate them all. My turn this year!

Strawberry plants

Finally, one of the best signs of Spring in our yard is 'Bout Time Creek. This is actually a dry creek bed, but as you can see, it is now wet. Love Springtime! In fact, it is about time it is wet, thus the name. This runs through the back yard and as the water trickles from the higher ground east of us, it makes the most lovely music. I could listen for hours.

'Bout Time Creek

Springtime and Spider plants

Ah, Springtime! This has been a spectacular season so far. There has been a variety of weather--though more rain is always desired. What a joy to watch the green living things come to life, take shape, thrive, and fulfill their natural life cycles.

As is tradition, when the weather gets warm, I bring my indoor plants outside to their summer home on or near the shady front porch. I had one plant that was very eager to move outside.

It was my favorite spider plant. I don't even know how old it is, but it seems I have had it forever. It was one of the few plants we were able to bring with us to Arkansas eight years ago when we moved here from Beecher, Illinois. At that time, we only had one cat. Now we have five.

For some reason I just haven't been able to teach the kitties to respect my plants. Here Kenni is doing what she does best, relaxing. She is totally content lying on her bed of soft, cushy leaves. I suspect the dirt is warm from the sunshine. Cats love to be warm.

Kenni wasn't the only one that liked to lay on the plants. Now that I think about it, I believe I've caught all of them there at one time. When Kenni was really little she thought the dirt in the pot was a litter box. I'm not sure how I broke her of that nasty habit, but thank goodness she doesn't do that anymore.

Needless to say, she destroyed the middle section of the plant, so I had to trim the leaves back. The once beautiful full plant, was reduced to a mere ring of bent and broken leaves. I tried everything, including sticking cinnamon sticks in the dirt. Cats are supposed to be repelled by the scent. Didn't work. They just moved them out of the way or laid down on top of them.

When spring arrived and I could put my plants outside, it was a new day for my spider plant. Today, she thrives once again.

This is what she looks like perched on her traditional pedestal, a rusty milk can.

She is rejuvenated, making lots of spider babies, and loving life.

Kenni doesn't seem to miss the plant either. She just sits on the table where the plant used to be, looking out the window and enjoying the sunshine.

I guess all in all, life is good!

Happy Earth Day

I consider Earth Day to be a day of celebration for the simple, natural things that are so often taken for granted: the beauty that abounds in the world we live, the earth's natural resources that sustain us, as well as the comfort and pleasure experienced by our interaction with the natural world around us.

There is no better time to recognize the beauty in the environment around us than in the springtime.

As my little part of the earth awakens from its winter sleep, it is easy to feel the changes. I am more eager to get up in the morning, anxious to give in to my annual nesting instincts. I feel ambitious, creative, and so alive. Aside from mundane household chores that require equal parts of vinegar, water, and elbow grease, the first thing I want to do is walk around the yard just to see if anything has changed overnight. Every place where last year's flowers grew need to be examined. There is an unmistakable joy as the first buds appear on the trees. Their silhouette against the sky becomes more intricate as the tips of branches elongate with new growth, resembling delicate lace, especially at dusk when all the once-vibrant colors of the landscape fade to black and white.

Even before the grass turns green, the first wildflowers appear. Then, there are tiny sprouts from last year's flower bulbs. Each discovery is a new revelation.

Mother Earth enhances the process with another of my favorite things--rain.

Rain transforms the woods like a hot shower after a hard day's work. The sweet fragrance and overall clean feeling is so revitalizing.

The rain is life-giving, a nourishing elixir that affects all plant life. After a spring rain flowers almost magically burst forth; the buds on the trees open as tiny leaves emerge. Once painted in shades of tan and brown, suddenly the world seems to change into every variety of green from yellow-tinged chartreuse to deep, dark forest green.

Early spring brings about a new awakening in the forest landscape. I am not the only one that feels it. The air is abuzz with bumble bees, butterflies, damselflies, and other insects. Tree frogs begin to sing their songs. Just after dawn, the woods are alive with chatter, as birds prepare to build nests. 

My personal favorite is the goldfinch who lives here year-around.

The male is, for me, one of the first signs of spring. During the winter months, his color is similar to that of mustard, a dull, olive-tinged shade of yellow. But as springtime approaches, he sets out to attract a mate. As he molts, his new feathers are the most vibrant yellow. The color of his body contrasts with the black bars on his wings. What female could resist?

When it isn't raining, the world is bathed in sunshine. Its warmth is almost intoxicating, making me want to spend the day outdoors. It sometimes gets so warm that it chases me into the shade, the shade made by those great, sturdy oak trees covered with its new leaves.

Some of the most glorious days of the year occur in the spring. Can anything be more pleasant than a day when the temperatures hover around 70º to 75º, with a gentle breeze?

Happy Earth Day!