Garden Treasures

There is this one antique shop that my daughter and I love to visit, and they had some candles that they were selling from a small shop in a city not too far from us, say about 25 miles. Yesterday we decided to go over there as we were getting cabin fever, and purchase some of the candles from the shop since their website looked really interesting. The whole store was kind of 70's, but they did have a lot of candles. Now I'm all for supporting local small businesses, but their prices were double that of the antique store! That was too bad as I really wanted this one scent, but when they were higher than a national candle company I decided to wait and see if the other place restocked. So we left empty handed. On the way back home my daughter points out another Goodwill store. Oh yes! I told you they were popping up everywhere! She found one of those huge fake ficus trees for $7, and the cutest wicker shelf rack for around $5 for her office at work. I was hauling this around the whole store. This thing is huge and heavy.

Can you see the possibilities?! I thought that it would look so cool in my garden shed when we get it moved down the hill. I was so excited! A little over 5 bucks thank you very much! Then I spied the next two items.

The darling little birdhouse that I will paint, and then this gigantic tin thing that looks so cool. Of course, you know how it goes.....hey mom, if you don't want it I'll take it off your hands!

This so neat dragonfly I bought the day before. It has a little crack in the glass, but who cares? It will go outside either by my pond or the garden house. Ahhh, I love finding bargains. This bloomin' weather around here has been very windy and cold. Well, not so cold that you can't be in a warm spot from the wind. Oh! And guess what!! They are forecasting rain/snow for us on Tuesday!!! My oh my we definitely have some winter here in the south. Tomorrow is the first day of March, I wonder what it will bring?

One for spring/summer one for fall/winter

Goodness! Where have the past three days gone? I have been out running the roads just about every day looking for dirt, flower seeds, etc.., and taking my crafty neighbor to the fabric store with me. So along with doing all that I have noticed on past occasions that we now have Goodwill stores popping up all over the place. Not just little ones, I mean what used to be grocery stores are now Goodwill stores, and they are even building some! Lots of cars out front, and I needed pots for plants so I decided to take a peek. You will not believe what I found! This is just way too cute! They are going in my guest bathroom.
One for spring/summer

The little wrought iron gate swings open, and a potted plants sits on the back wall. Did you notice the heart at the top of the gate?
One for fall/winter

I just love that you can put a candle in there to make it burn like a fireplace! A little cleaning up, and maybe just a touch of paint here and there. Guess what else? I only paid $5 for both!

We have been having a few sunny days around lately although rain is suppose to be moving in along with cold weather....again. Brrrr that will be a bummer since we had 66 degrees (22 C or grad) with the sun. So I have been busy doing things outside, chores that need to be done. There are so many broken branches, trees that need to be and have been felled. I have a feeling I'll be getting some muscle ache after a winter of being inside! I thought I would share a spot of springiness from last year with you since this year everything is so far behind.

I did see that the dogwood trees are getting buds on them, and I can't wait for that as we have them down our driveway and in the woods! The clouds are moving in so I better get busy!

Snow with a touch of Spring

Ok, I know that everyone is so tired of winter snow photos, but I just had to share these few favorites of mine. Actually I have a few more, but I better save those for next winter as we never see this much snow!!! This is looking out into the back area. I love the way the light hits the trees in the back!

A favorite place for me to stop and check out the dahlias in the summer. I usually leave mine in the ground although this year they are probably all gone with as much rain that we have been getting, and all the cold weather. We are normally in the 50's during the day so it has been unusual for us here.

Our old wagon, now I have captured summer, fall and winter!!

This was just too cool not to show!

Ok, so how about a little hope for spring? Usually we have daffodils blooming up a storm around here, but not this year. Although out by the bird fountain I saw a peek of yellow so naturally I grabbed the camera. One little batch of crocus that I planted back in the fall! Now mind you I planted way more than this, but I'm happy with it!

For today we have sunshine, and 60 degrees, which for my family and blogger friends in Europe a very nice 15C! Ahhhhhh, soon I'll be able to wiggle my toes in the dirt!!!

Night lights

I'm sure you've read about my crafty 79 year old neighbor before. She is really sweet, and if she knows how to craft it she would love to teach you. When out for our walk she hollered out the door to us and her daughter walked up to talk to her

She has a wide variety of things in her yard which makes her happy!

However, this morning she wanted us to see her "snow cones"

Oh yes, solar lights! She has a ton of solar lights! Everywhere! All different colors, shapes and sizes!! I'm sure on Friday night the different colored lights shining on the snow was gorgeous. Too bad I didn't think about that, and hiked over to her house.

Of course, the big thing for all the little kids is going over to her house at night to look at all of it.

So shall I say now, "beam me up Scottie?"!!!

Birdhouses, Snow Duck, & A Trip To The Outhouse!

I think birdhouses are so pretty covered in snow

Hey, even the beach house got snow! This is one of our neighbor's "beach house"

We headed to the neighbors house to take a walk down to the bridge and through the woods....hmmmm to Grandmother's house we go! Sorry, just couldn't resist!

Hey a duck snowman! He is missing his eyes Kevin!

Here we go, now he can see!

Ah yes, hubby built a snowman with glasses! Must be an "old" snowman!

Jan had to have a lady snow woman. Isn't she cute!

I'm sure the passersby later enjoyed our snow people & duck!
Oh boy, all that walking hubby needs to run to the outhouse!

Actually, it looks like a leisurely stroll!

Hope it's warm inside!

Hubby thought these would make cute pictures, I just added the lines!! We actually store a lot of bee things in the outhouse that hubby made. So is it a bee outhouse?

Southern snow

Here are some snow photos from last Friday.

It really started coming down here

The solar light and a rope hubby had put up to see if I wanted a flower bed here

This was so cool. There was a cobweb hanging off of the flower hook, and the snow just stuck to it!

We couldn't even see the steps to do down to the back!

A view out of the kitchen window.

The kids coming down to visit

The cardinals were happy I had put more food in the feeder. I counted 4-5 in this bush, however in the crepe myrtle to the side there were 10+ waiting in line!!

A look out the backyard Saturday morning

Looking down towards the house...the light hitting the trees, and the blue sky!

The road looks icy.

Up at the top of the hill heading towards the "winter garden"

This tree had berries in it which made a pretty cool shot with the super blue sky

Oops, a feeder I forgot about!

The bench and the greenhouse area. I planned to move the greenhouse down hill.

We left the posts up in the garden so we can add the deer fence back in the summer. Check out the top of the posts....they look like they have baseballs on top!!

The tree to the left is a huge holly although all the berries are now gone

A feeder for the critters as hubby would say

Looking out to the beehives

I'll have a few more tomorrow! You have to understand we usually don't see this so we take pictures like crazy!!! Although I think a day or two is enough for now, had it been last year I could have handled more, but now I am so ready for spring!

A saying of love.....and snow!

Do you have a favorite saying of love that you express to a loved one? My daughter and I do. We have been saying it to each other since she was a little tot. So, I thought that I would do something for her that will be a remembrance for her later years! She came down the hill later that day, and I handed her this.
"Oh cool!" she exclaimed. I told her they were heart tissues, and she responded I thought that you said you made something.

I did I told her, and handed her this

When she was little I would always say I love you up to the sky and beyond. She would say the same and add on to the moon and beyond. And so it went! I'm not really a painter, although there are many in my family who can paint. I just wanted to do something a little different. If you read it from the bottom up it says
Through all seasons I will always love you Up to the sky The Moon And Beyond
Now she understood the reason for the tissues, but said they were too pretty to use!
As for my hubby, well he got three excellent meals with a fab dinner! Of course you know the saying a way to a man's heart is through his stomach!
And here are a few fun snow photos. I have a ton more. All the snow is gone now as it only rained last night. It was great while it lasted!
My daughter gets a push down the hill from hubby while neighbor Kevin looks on

There she goes!

A snow angel that Lori made

Showing off our boots, and how deep the snow is for here!

The dogs playing in the snow

Isn't he the cutest?!

The neighbor's rooster wondering what is all this stuff?!!

And me, so happy we had some snow!

More photos tomorrow!