Wednesday, May 13, 2009

OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY: SPRINGTIME IN CHICAGO & LAST DAY FOR GIVE~AWAY!!

Happy Outdoor Wednesday! I am happy I am not outside today; it is pouring rain and a little chilly. But the grass is emerald green and the trees are now leafy canopies hanging over the sidewalks and streets. Luckily, I took some pictures about two weeks ago when my bulb garden was in bloom. These pictures are of a bed along the back fence in my backyard. I actually planted new bulbs last year after The Husband cleaned out the bed and "cleaned out" all of my spring bulbs ("How was I supposed to know what they were?"). Grrrr.... I wasn't able to save anything so last year I just picked up some tulip & daffodil bulbs on sale and started digging like crazy. This Fall I will add some more color.
Once these have died off, I will fill in with some annuals and there will also be some perennials coming up. I'm also thinking of clearing some space for some flowering shrubs. My problem is that by mid~summer my backyard is shrouded by our huge, old Black Walnut trees. I really have to watch that whatever I plant is shade loving.

So, I have my work cut out for me once this rain stops. I also have an herb garden, a vegetable garden a flower bed along the patio and of course 10,000 pots and planters! Oh, and don't forget, I have 3X the amount of gardening to do at the lake!! But happily, I love it!! :-D


My church is three blocks away so I took a walk there last week because there is always something beautiful blooming. This is along the west side of the church near the rectory. It is so pleasant and serene to sit on one of these benches in front of the Blessed Virgin to reflect, pray, daydream or just breathe in the fragrant air.




Isn't she beautiful?




I wish you could smell these!!





Isn't this little angel precious. I just love statues, especially angels and fairies.





She blends in so perfectly....









Whoa....back to reality! I mentioned a few weeks ago I had the chance to meet a fellow blogger who came to Chicago with her sweet husband on a business trip. Well, this is Christine from Christine's Travel And Home Adventures and her husband John. I took the train downtown, cabbed over to The Husbands office, picked him up and then went to meet Christine and John at their hotel. We had dinner at a little place The Husband found, West Side Tavern and it was really good. Generally I am the one to pick restaurants but he really seemed to want to play "tour guide" on this night! We just had so much fun! You can easily guess that I felt I had known Christine forever~but not just from blogging. I think we have such personalities that we just clicked right away. For example, if The Husband and John had decided to.... who knows, go off and catch a movie or play, Christine and i would have found a multitude of things to do and keep us happily occupied together for hours! She is just so sweet and smart and pretty~look at that hair. You can find more pictures of our wonderful dinner, which by the way was also a celebration of her and John's birthdays, by clicking on her blog. And by the way, we are definitely going to meet up again! ;-D
Finally, I want to mention the Pay~It~Forward Giveaway that I won a few weeks ago from Lisa at Another Day Today. She sent me some wonderful gifts that I posted last week and it is now my turn to Pay It Forward. So anyone that commented on my posts as of last Monday (Blue Monday) through and including today, has a chance to win a gift from me! So today is the last day to leave a comment. If you have commented on all my posts since 5/4, your name will be thrown in that many times. I am hopeful I can announce the winner on Monday but we are going to the lake to work, work, work, but I will try really hard to get something out Sunday night or Monday morning. Good Luck everyone!!
I hope the sun is shining wherever you are! I think I am going to make a big mug of tea and curl up with Milo & Layla and a good book while that rain works it's magic on my little part of the world!! Visit Susan at A Southern Daydreamer and give her a big hug for all her hard work hosting Outdoor Wednesday every week! You will find a list of everyone else joining in and try to visit them too, even if it takes all week!
xoxo
Jane






58 comments:

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Happy Outdoor Wednesday Jane! You have a beautiful yard... I love the tulips and daffodils! Thanks for sharing your photos.~ Susan

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

What a lovely yard, and your church grounds are amazing!

Anonymous said...

Everything looks beautiful!

The angel and the daffodils are my favorites.

Don't work too hard at the lake!

Lisa

Sue said...

Hi jane,
Your bulbs are so pretty, I also enjoyed your walk the garden at your church is beautiful. I am always pleased when i see churches take such pride in their landscape, and your church has done beautifully.

I know Christine from visiting her blog she is a very sweet lady, I know you all had a wonderful time of sharing. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures.
Sue

Marie said...

Luv that bed of tulips and daffodils! And the church garden is just beautiful and so peaceful! Thanks for sharing.
-marie

Mary Bergfeld said...

Your photo of the daffodils is one of the prettiest I've seen. Thank you fro sharing it with us.

Designs on 47th Street said...

Beautiful, beautiful flowers for sure. I really enjoyed your pictures. I have a daughter in Chicago and I love visiting your city.

How fun you were able to meet a fellow blogger. Sounds like you had a really great time.

Our day is partly sunny then partly cloudy! oh well...it's green and somewhat warm today.

Unknown said...

I think that it is amazing that you actually met up with a fellow blogger! I've been doing this for about a year and not until Tablescape Thursday, did I realize how many kind, generous, and fun people were out there with the same interests as me!!! So glad you guys had a great time.

Loved your pretty bulb garden. Can't waith to see more. The churches garden is beautiful. What caught my eye was all the blooming trees! The little statues are perfect!

April said...

Love all your greenery, Janie! What a talent you have! How fun to meet one of your bloggy friends...I'd love to have the opportunity to do that sometime!

Anonymous said...

Hi Blondie! Thanks for stopping by and Happy Wednesday. My blog is a work in progress. I think because I'm an Aries...I get bored easily. So I am constantly changing things.

I have not heard from Sherri. However, I did talk to a mutual friend that knows her, and she told me that she is getting married. I need to send her a comment and congratulate her. I've been so bad lately about returning comments. It's a wonder if my blog buddies don't disown me. :-)

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Janie, I love all of your pictures. Your garden and the church garden are both gorgeous in bloom! And I loved the pics of you and your hubby with Christine and hers! Thanks for sharing with us.

Sending you much love. I will trade you some of the 91 degree heat here in Central Florida for your chill. We had monsoon rains yesterday (it hasn't rained in weeks), and I got caught out in it. Not complaining because we really, really need rain.

XO,

Sheila :-)

Barb said...

Hi Jane, all your pictures are lovely....such beautiful flowers!

Happy Outdoor Wednesday.

Barb

Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage said...

I love the angel in the daisies, so precious.

Kat said...

What a gorgeous yard you have! I love the tulips. And your church yard is stunning. Is that a tulip tree? Just beautiful, thanks for sharing. Kathy

Dana and Daisy said...

I have met a couple of blogging buddies and really, aren't we just the nicest bunch of people you could meet on the internet? hee hee!

Looks like a wonderful evening!

your garden is a couple of weeks later than ours. I pulled the remnants of tulip leaves off today!

Unknown said...

Happy Outdoor Wednesday. I love your photographs, Daffodils are my favorite flower. They are so happy looking. Your church garden looks lovely. And how nice that you got to meet a fellow blogger in person.

Jane, you always say such nice things on my posts. Whenever I see your avitar, I quickly jump to your comment to see what lovely words you have left. Thank you.

Karen

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Your flowers are so pretty, and I also enjoyed seeing the pretty outdoor pictures at your church. I cannot believe your husband dug up your bulbs! Love the pictures of you and your husband with Christine and John. Christine is the only blogger I've ever met, and my husband and I enjoyed meeting she and John. Ya'll just look like you're having such fun. laurie

Christi @ A Southern Life said...

Spring has sprung! Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jane! Oh, I love your beautiful flowers and your church grounds are so lovely too! What a peaceful place! How wonderful to get to have dinner with Christine and her husband. She's just too pretty! We're gonna have to punch her in the stomach! LOL. You are very pretty yourself! Glad you had such a wonderful time!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia;O

Stacey said...

Jane,thanks for coming to visit me today. Your tulips and daffodils are beautiful. We are ahead of you weather wise. Our tulips and daffodils bloomed about 4 or 6 weeks ago.

I don't have any clematis secrets to share. I've just gotten lucky. :) We also have a very shady yard. It gets more that way every year. We are trying to add more and more perennials. It's so much fun in the spring when they pop up.

I'll be back to see you. I'm not familiar with the Chicago area at all. It's fun to see.

xinex said...

Oh Janie, how nice to see our picture again, makes me think of happy times. And John and I enjoyed the place where you took us soooo very much! Your garden is gorgeous! I can tell you spend a lot of time and care on it. Our tulips in MS are very short lived. I was admiring the tulips all over Chicago downtown too, they were so healthy. I am visiting Tina right now, was supposed to go to my FL home tonight but rain started pouring so I'll drive home tomorrow morning instead. Seems like we are having a similar weather. Take care!...Christine

Sofia Striffler said...

Your tulips look beautiful. Isn't spring great! It was nice that you were able to meet a fellow blogger. Glad you connected. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Miller Racing Family said...

Looks wonderful. I love all of the tulips. The weather is also rainy here so I am trying to get all of my indoor work done so I can hit the outdoors hard when it dries out. Thanks for sharing and for stopping by my blog today. Have a blessed Wednesday!

bj said...

Oh, my, Blondie girl...your yard is just lovely. I love all of it.
So glad you met and had fun with a fellow blogger. I envy that because I've never got to meet anyone I blog with. I know you had so much fun....

Elizabeth-Plain and Simple said...

Your bulb garden is beautiful. My husband said the same thing ("How was I supposed to know what they were?") when he plowed up all the strawberries that I planted last fall. Oh well, I forgive him, he was only trying to help....Thanks for sharing.

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Ms. Tee said...

Your flowers and yard are so pretty! And how neat that you got to actually meet a friend from blogland. Hope it warms up and gets sunny for you tomorrow. :) {hugs}

g.suzie said...

Jane, thank-you for stopping by and I am extremely jealous of your daffodils and fragrant flowers. Yesterday we had winds of 55mph. grrr! We have had rain and snow still here in Idaho. . .I'm getting very impatient for warm temps and a 'gardening fix' thanks again for sharing your great pics.

jeanne said...

Hello Jane, this is late but I just wanted to thank you for your sweet comment before I go to bed. I love your outdoor photos of your garden and your church too. I too love statues, especially angels. Your tulips are gorgeous and I can't imagine all the work you put into your many gardens. You go girl!!! the payoff is wonderful.

How nice to meet a fellow blogger. I love to have the chance to do that. Next week I am meeting two blogging friends on our way out west for our vacation. You all look so pretty and handsome in the photo.

Your giveaway sounds great. I think I am too late. Best wishes to the winner.

Hugs...Jeanne

RobinfromCA said...

A very pretty bulb garden - despite the husband's whoops. And the church grounds are lovely.

Thanks for stopping by! Come to the SF Bay Area in the fall. By far the best time! The summer can be foggy and cold and touristy. You'll definitely get better weather in September, October and early November!

Robin

Kathy said...

Hi Jane, your bulb garden is so pretty, tulips are my fave, sounds like you re going to be very busy with your gardens, love all the statues and how lovely you Christine and hubbies got to meet up, I got to meet a fellow blogger and it was the best day. Hope you had a lovely OW, hugs, Kathy.

Pam said...

Your bulb garden is lovely. I know how you feel--a couple of years ago my husband disposed of my bulb garden also.
Thankfully, I enjoy gardening too.
Your daughter and her friends look beautiful in their prom pictures. I bet they had a wonderful time!

LuLo Designs/Blue Eyed Tango said...

Hello,
So glad you stopping by my blog! To answer a couple of questions you had....yes our horses (geldings)do really "play fight" like that and it is every single time they're together! They have done it every since the buckskin was a little baby. The older one is a lot like a babysitter! When he goes to the trainers, he even buddies up to the little ones there...fun to watch! I'm so glad I found your blog and wish I would have visited yesterday for your pay it forward! Your background is so lovely. I really enjoyed looking around. Your family is gorgeous and those girls on Prom night! They were SO lucky to have such a nice day and evening! We live about 3 hrs. due west of Chicago. How nice you got to meet Christine, she's a fine person! I'll check in from time to time! Luanne

LuLo Designs/Blue Eyed Tango said...

Stopped by my blog is was I was meaning to say! LOL! And your flowers were so nice as well as your church landscaping!

honeysuckle said...

Hi, It sounds like you are a busy woman with all your gardening pursuits. Your tulips and daffodils were beautiful. Isn't it wonderful to see them first thing in the spring? How fun for you to meet your blogger friend too. I loved the beautiful angel statues at your church. Have a wonderful day. Thanks for visiting me and your nice comments.

annies home said...

love the beautiful flowers. I have been to chicago 2 times in my life and love your city. It is a far cry from my rural environment but Chicago is wonderful place to visit

the wild raspberry said...

your spring bulbs were absolutely gorgeous!
have a wonderful day.
chasity

Sharing with Sherri said...

Hi Blondie,
Thanks for the visit! I know it's so hard to find the time to get around to visit everyone!
Your spring daffodils and tulips look so bright and cheerful! I love statues as well, and your church courtyard looks like the perfect place to reflect and take in the sping air. I have a place where I like to go to do that to! No statues there though, just roosters and chickens!

Have a lovely day!!
Sherri:D

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

How fun to meet up with a blogging friend...looks like you had a lovely dinner. Your church is beautiful!

Stay Cozy, Carrie

SmilingSally said...

I love tulips. Hey, send some of that rain to Florida.

Janet, said...

Everything is beautiful. I especially love the red and yellow tulips!

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

Hi Blondie!! It's so good to be back "home" with you. :-)

Well, I think we're having the same weather as you. I pulled in to the shore house a couple of hours ago and it is POURING. And damp and chilly. We wondered tonight if we've ever had a full stretch of sun in the days we're here since we've bought the place. (Answer: Nope. :-)

How gorgeous are those magnolia trees?! I know they're a mess when the flowers drop but I love them. A lot of houses on my street had them as I was growing up, and now all of the new owners have cut them down. Sigh...

Karen said...

Your flowers are just beautiful! And your church grounds are lovely, too! I enjoyed your photos very much! Karen

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

Hi Jane, great photos...
got here from a comment you made on my blog...so I did a post just for you...with lots of info about where I took the "Resort" photos...Caution if you go to this resort...you might want to go in a truck...its really hidden and rustic...but worth it...
Thanks
Becky

sunnymama said...

Your tulips and daffodils are gorgeous and I love the little angel statue! So cute :)

Marina Capano said...

Hi! Happy Outdoor Wednesday!! wow! just beautiful post! and I love your pics! so cute!!!

xoxo

Marina

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Beautiful yard my friend...and I loved seeing you and Christina together...she is a real sweetie who I met like 2 years ago on RMS...now your song just had me crying girl...everytime I hear it I cry...Love it just cry..I had it played at my Mama's funeral and told Len when I go I want it also...knowing him he'll play Devil woman for me ha ha!!Hope you have a great wekend my friend...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Your garden and the church garden are so beautiful! How fun that you got to meet a fellow blogger. I have been able to meet quite a few of them and have enjoyed each visit.

Anonymous said...

The flowers are all so pretty. Beautiful statues too. How nice you got to visit and have dinner with a blogging friend.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Charlotte

The Muse said...

Super nice to hear that you were able to meet another blogger! Wow that is great to be sure!


And I have to say how bright and cheery all your florals appear!

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

these photos are so gorgeous!! And so lucky to get to meet a blogger buddy!

Thanks for sharing these photos!

Lou Cinda :)

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

What a beautiful garden! If mine ends up even half that pretty I will be happy! It seems to be struggling and I am concerned the heat will get them before they can get established. Wish me luck! Your's are doing beautifully!!

Anonymous said...

Aaaawwww your flowers are so bright and beautiful. I don't think I have the gift of planting :-( I'm sure they even more beautiful in person.

(I saw your pictures back then when Christine posted it. What fun it must have been)

Bo said...

Hi Blondie...I'm baaaack...LOL
I enjoyed the stroll through your garden & your church's garden. Oh, how fun it must have been to meet sweet Christine & her DH... ;-) Bo

Tootsie said...

your beds look fake they are so pretty! lol...I know they are real, but they are just beautiful! Your camera takes wonderful photos too...I need to figure out how to use mine properly so I can adjust the settings to get a better shot too!
if you are expecting frost...and you have planted your annuals...wait till very late at night and water them. The water will insulate the plant so that they are less likely to freeze...I did a post about it a while ago..I also do this in the fall when I am trying to prolong summer a little...it does work!

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

Your flowers in your garden look beautiful. I wish tulips would grow at my house. And the photos from your church are fabulous as well. I really love the angel statue. I too love angle & cherub statues. Looks like you had a fun time with Christine & her hubby. Thanks for visiting my blog & leaving me a comment. To answer your question, the house at the Nixon library is the house that Pres Nixon lived the first 9 years of his life. I think his dad built the house. It was so small & I can't imagine 6 people living in such a tiny house, but I guess things were different back in that time.

Kathleen Ellis said...

What a wonderful thing that you could meet up with Christine...isn't it funny how you can feel like you know someone by interacting with them through our blogs!

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your lights out kitchen tip...what a fabulous idea! i love the scented candle reminder...I do that sometimes, too! and I especially like the idea of sneaking a cookie or two! good idea!
Happy Monday!
;-D

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Your spring garden is so beautiful. I love tulips and daffodils.

The church gardens are awesome. I'd love to sit out there for awhile.
Hugs, Terrie

DCAja said...

lovely!
tias