Wild and Wet April...

April has been a wild and wet month here,

tomorrows weather forecast calls for

up to an inch of snow...

no one is more thrilled than the Dandelions

who are growing like crazy...

(salad anyone?)

(click photos to enlarge)

so I have been doing a little garden shopping..

I filled my chair planter with Pansies,

and added a chippy teacup

for a pop of color till the Pansies fill in...

I bought a new Fuchsia...

The bulbs are still thriving....

Bluebells run rampant in the valley...

when I moved into my house

there was no landscaping...

sweet neighbors brought Bluebell bulbs by the bagful...

Ajuga spikes are shooting up everywhere...

the little path that leads to my swing

feels like a soft meadow...

covered in tiny blooms...

Forget-Me-Nots and Violets

with Dandelions mixed in...

The Forget-Me-Nots

were a stow away on another plant I brought home,

they self seed very freely...

Fawn Lilies are a Native Plant here...

and so elegant...

I bought three plants at a conservancy sale years ago...

they are reliable bloomers but don't spread,

so my small clump is a treasured delight...

Money Plants and a shy rabbit...

When it rains

or well really anytime :-)

One of the best parts of the garden is

bringing it inside....

the Rose is a miniature,

last year I bought one at the grocery store,

and planted it outside to see how it would fare...

It thrived,

so I am planting a small grouping...

the Davidiii Viburnum smells wonderful

and I love to keep a vase of  it on my nightstand...

 not all that grows in the garden

is flowery...

my husbands favorite garden delight

The first Rhubarb pie of the year...

Today I am joining...

Outdoor Wednesday

Time Travel Thursday

Cottage Flora Thursday

and

Simple Pleasures Thursday

Thanks for stopping by today,

Happy Earth Day...

I hope everyone found a moment

to enjoy the beauty of nature,

today for Earth Day?

I was lucky to enjoy a sunshiny day

 getting my hands dirty :-)

(click photos to enlarge)

the Mount Fuji Cherry has burst open,

we had a big hailstorm and I thought I might lose the blooms

but they seem no worse for the wear...

the Davidii Viburnum

right on the edge of bursting open...

Windflowers soaking up the sun...

a little footpath in the very back of the garden

lined with English Daisies...

a broader view of the footpath...

King Edward Currant in the foreground

Bridal Spirea and Money Plants in the far back...

King Edward Currant Flowers...

The blooms on the Service Berry,

overlooking the Koi pond,

you can just make out the ghostly Koi in the background...

today was their first feeding day of the year,

Cheerios was the food of choice :-)

my fish loving, eager husband,

fed them before I could grab my camera...

a volunteer Money Plant behind the back gate...

Tulips and Violets up front...

Happy Earth Day!

I am joining...

Saturday Show Off

 Pink Saturday

and

Saturday Nite Special

Thanks for strolling with me today...

Egg Cups and Sweetness..

It's always fun to repurpose

our vintage finds...

(click photos to enlarge)

I have a few wire egg racks...

I really don't know their original purpose..

maybe to keep eggs from bumping around

when being boiled?

usually I use them to display

dyed Easter Eggs...

I thought filled with candy

would be a fun colorful change...

so I cracked the tops of a few

Araucana eggs..

filled with jelly beans,

mix in a few English Daisy blooms

and pure candy colored delight :-)

what would Easter be without a rabbit...

last year I shared with you a variety

of rabbits carrying baskets on their backs...

I love the possibilities

 of all the goodies that can be tucked in,

this year I filled his basket

with dainty Service Berry blossoms...

well you thought the sweetness in the blog title was

probably about the candy scattered about...

but really it is about the two sweet packages

I received in the mail today...

my Mom sent me this delightful paper basket

that she made...

loaded with whimsical paper flowers

and a sweet blue bird,

and of course a few chocolate eggs :-)

and my sweet friend Judith from

The Lavender Cottage,

mailed me this sparkly butterfly,

all wrapped up in her trademark

 lavender tissue paper and bows :-)

it has a magnet in it's body and another magnet on the back,

so you pull them apart

 and your butterfly attaches to clothing or windows...

for now,

 mine is fluttering across my china cabinet window..

Thank you Judith!

You are always so sweet :-)

Today I am joining...

Show and Tell Friday

Home Sweet Home Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Show and Share Day

Flaunt it Friday

Inspiration Friday

Friday Pretties

and

Best of Easter 2011

at Funk Junk Interiors

Thanks for stopping by today...