Daffodil Time and Spring Cleaning the Porch

Finally our Daffodils are blooming!

They were just biding their time. As soon as the sun came out and the temps got a bit warmer, they popped right out. It seems like we have been waiting forever for them! (Last year they bloomed a week and a half earlier!) Last night I went out and cut a lovely bouquet.

I don't know if I have even shared a picture of the "cutting garden" on the east side of the house. Lots of green! The daffodils tend to grow leggy and fall over. But that is fine, it doesn't make me feel so bad about rescuing them and bringing them indoors!

I love this variety! Such a lovely creamy yellow. I don't remember what the name is though. These are the ones we transplanted from our old house.

This past weekend Mom and I spruced up the front porch and gave it a good spring cleaning. It didn't matter that it was cloudy and chilly, we were going to be ready!

(I am glad we did, as this week we have already been able to enjoy it!) 

 I added little tin pails to the hooks this year. I love how they look! The plan is to plant them full of flowers in a couple of weeks. For now, we have a couple of very fragrant hyacinths in them. 

I love that we can look out the front window and enjoy a very springy view!

The other side of porch was also part of the spruce up. I finally moved the table and bought a bench! The color I am not so sure of, but I love how much more inviting it looks. There are a few more things I would like to add to this side, so it is still a work in progress. Can't you just imagine a large pot over flowing with flowers next to it? I can!

How about you? Do you have a porch or deck that you can't wait to use?

Living Room Update

Have you been wondering what is going on with the Living Room Rearrange? At times I wondered too! It was back at the end of August (Read Here) that we moved Dad's desk to the basement. Suddenly we had another side of the room to use and decorate! I think the first month we just looked at it! There was so many possibilities and so many new things to try out! So we arranged and rearranged and rearranged again.

I knew three things. First, that we could always use more seating. When the family gets together someone ends up on the floor or pulling up one of the wooden chairs from the dining room table. Second, we had a big blank wall to cover. I was going to need something to hang there! Third, I wanted to paint the bookshelves and brighten up the space!

It has been a slow process. But I kept reminding myself there is nothing wrong with decorating slow!

The first thing I worked on was the bookcase. I actually got rid of the one that was in this corner, painted the one that was by the hall and put back in the corner. We tried a lot of different places, but in the end we liked the corner best. I love how much brighter it is! Even though it is not quite as big as the previous one, everything still fit!

I pulled together a couple of baskets we've had forever. They add warmth and hid smaller books and things. The wood pieces are a bit of a family joke. Years ago my brother brought them home, stuck them on the bookcase and said "some people would call that art". It has been there ever since!

This is one of our favorite views! Once the shelf was in place again, I turned my attention to the blank wall. We tired so many furniture arrangements and several different pieces. Nothing seemed to be right. We even tried the dark leather chairs together against the wall, but that left all the dark on one side and the light sofa on the other.

 I did decide I wanted a large piece of art on the wall and found this canvas of Monet's "Artist's Garden" online. I love all the flower colors! I also found the little side table at an antique shop and was just pondering what color to paint it, when it was decided the book nook chair should be brought downstairs. It was love at first sight! Don't you love when suddenly it all comes together!

Of course I had to get art that featured a house!

The final item we needed was a table lamp. I didn't think it was going to be so hard to find! We just had to keep our eye out and on a random visit to TJ Max we found it! The perfect finishing touch!

Whatever chair we have put in front of the window, Kerri has claimed. For a short time when we didn't have a chair here, she really missed it. I think she is glad we have stopped rearranging the furniture and she has "her" chair back! So am I! 

Easter Tulips

 I hope everyone had a lovely Easter! We had mostly celebrated two weeks ago when my sister was in town. Thank goodness we did! Easter day here was not the best of weather. (Though not as horrible as the northern part of the state, no snow here!)

Of course, I had to have a few Easter tulips! It would have been nice if they came from my flowerbeds, but they aren't blooming yet. (Though they are getting close! They are tucked up against the east side of the house so they pop up pretty quick.) And of course, I had to take a few pictures of them! 

  

(I forget we keep the vacuum in the curtains! In real life it isn't as noticeable, or maybe I have gotten use to it?)