Blooming on the 1st day of Spring!

Blossoms!

Yes, wonderful colors, sunshine and blooming things!
That doesn't sound out of the ordinary to you? Well it certainly is in my part of Wisconsin. It is normally still snow covered, blustery and gray days still this time of year. I have no complaints on the weather. Winter was unusually mild, only a few heavy snows that did not last horribly long. Yes, still some cold frigid days full of gray skies, but with less snow it was more tolerable!

So imagine my delight that just a few short weeks,
a mere 13 or 14 days after this last heavy wet blizzard ...

remember you can click on any of my photos to enlarge,

please ask if you would like to copy

There is a bit of the color out of my door ...
Talk about a contrast of seasons !

brilliant yellow forsythia,

we had severally cut these back 2 falls ago but they are blooming nicely!

beautiful blooming crocus a buzz with insects

this kind of white I can handle in March!

I actually missed the rest of the crocus, the warm weather quickly wilted them before I could snap a picture of them today, sigh... I have not shown you the terrible mess my garden areas are this spring. Most of my readers know I was not able to keep up with anything due to neck pain and up coming cervical surgery in January. The yard is really a big mess! I am slowly doing better with physical therapy each week, so I plan on doing tiny bursts of cleaning when I can, weather co-operating. Maybe I will do a before and after of my shameful garden mess? Would you find that interesting or make you feel good that you are (or are not), the only one with/without major spring clean up? (I have it every year, but this year is the worst! Hangs head in shame. Hubby has been busy though.)

Spring is blooming in my heart today!! 

Be sure to link up and leave a comment below.
I am also linking up this week with Rook No. 17 : A little birdie told me

and Hazel Loves Design :Things I Love Tuesday besides the normal Wordless/Wordful Wednesday.

  How is the first day of spring
in your area? Colorful or blahh?
Until next time ...

St. Paddy's Day Wishes

It is the time of year where anyone can be Irish!

So I am sending you all some  
   Happy St. Paddy's Day wishes and grins...

remember you can click on any image to enlarge it
Maxine character of Hallmark©

remember to always drink responsibly,

set up your designed driver before you go

after too many green beers

Final wishes that you all be wearing some green,

so this final warning about 
      pinching will not apply to you!

Find more info on what I wrote on green beer here
and on the origins and symbols of St. Patrick's day here.

       Until next time,

   Have fun and stay safe 

     so you can visit again!!

The Ladies Room ...

The Lenten humor edition
{{over heard, laughs and snickers}}

( the Not Politically correct version,

you are forewarned...)

  As an ultimate test of his will power, a man decided to give up sex for a while.
Although not thrilled with the idea, his wife agreed to support him in this effort.

The first few weeks weren't too difficult. 

Things got tougher during the next couple of weeks, so the wife wore her dowdiest nightclothes, put a mud face-pack on her face, and chewed on garlic before going to bed. 

 

The last couple of weeks were extremely tough on the husband, so the wife took to locking the bedroom door and forcing the husband to sleep on the couch. This sacrifice was a lot harder than both of them thought!

                             

the things a woman does for her man!

Easter morning finally came. 

A knock came on the wife's bedroom door. 

"KNOCK!!! KNOCK!!! KNOCK!!!"

Husband: "Guess whom?" Wife: "I know who it is!"
Husband: "Guess what I want?" Wife: "I know what you want!"
Husband: "Guess what I'm knockin' with?''

Mr. Happy!!

This was not written by me, except for photo captions, so it is not my attempt to disgrace or demean any faith or religion. This was all done in ( ahem, adultish...) humor. In the catholic religion, in simple terms we give up something meaningful (usually food items or an activity) that offers thanks for Jesus giving up his life on the cross for our salvation.
I think I hear a few giggles??
I have to keep myself amused some how during this re-hab!!

until next time...

Do you fast for lent?
What has been the hardest thing
   you ever gave up?
Mine has always been chocolate!

March in like a Lion

"March comes in like a Lion,
and goes out like a Lamb"
    an old adage

Roaring, scratching, screaming...
wicked, wet, blizzards and whiteouts...

That is the lion that has sprung forth as March!

Hang on everybody,

I feel like it is going to be a wicked ride!

  If you have been anywhere near a television or radio lately, or live anywhere in the mid-west to the east coast, you know all about the terrible, violent storms that have been wrecking havoc across the country. The images have been heart-breaking. Hopefully recovery is quick in response.

My thoughts and prayers are with anyone involved or affected.

We (well, not me, I hate it) are used to winds, snows and freezing weather in our little corner of Wisconsin. And truth be told, I even feel we have been blessed with a rather mild winter. We received our part of the lions roar late last week with a whiteout of wet and heavy ice and blizzard condition snow.

It maybe hard to see, but there is snow falling at about 1-2 inches an hour. Wild winds and the occasional thundersnow added for extra weather excitement (not!).
  These are photos from the evening.

click on any photo to enlarge,

please ask to copy

evening whiteout, looking up our backyard

heavy evening snows take pine tree 

boughs almost to the breaking point, lining our driveway

Snow had lessened by late next morning and by mid-afternoon the sun broke through the gray skies. The wild birds that frequent our feeders were all in a frenzy. Hubby scurried out to replenish some nourishment during the intermission.

mourning doves resting between meals,

wearing big puffy vests

  I will admit that we have been lucky with a mild winter so far. I wonder what my garden areas will look like with not much of any snow cover to protect them from the harsh temperatures. I have not been able to do any real work in my garden and yard areas the last 2-3 years, I know I will have a mess. Hopefully by summer my post-op physical therapy will allow me once again to enjoy nature outside. Last summer we noticed a loss and lack of many familiar flowers from the previous winters freezing temperatures and many snowfalls.

In reality, I can not complain if all we lose is plants and flowers, as too many have lost complete homes, towns and family members.

    Healing hugs,
     until next time ...

How have you and your family fared this winter?