WHAT'S BLOOMING AND HAPPENING

In spite of the rain and gloomy weather, my tulips decided to make an appearance this year.  This made me really happy because last year we had such a mild winter that I thought I had lost all of them.  What a pretty sight!

Further down from the tulips is my forsythia bush.  It's a monster.  I call this my Woodland Garden because of all the trees that shade it like a big canopy.  I have day lily's, astilbe, columbine and bleeding hearts in here...there's always something blooming from spring to fall.  Ignore my neighbor's garage, that tree on the right will block the view soon.

The forsythia branches have to come inside!  They last about 2 weeks.  Unfortunately you can't dry them, they just shed their petals, but they are so pretty while they last.  

As you know I had the kitchen painted along with the living room last month.  I had a very flowery wallpaper above these cabinets and everything up there just sort of disappeared in all the busyness.  I used to  keep my cake plates here because they're so hard to store anyway, but this time around I did a little different arrangement...some baskets, vintage bowls, a bee skep (this is the left side)...

...and a bit more on the right side. 

A couple of ladies asked me about the stove hood that they spotted when I posted pictures of the cookbook shelves, so this is a shot of it.  We had a carpenter do our whole kitchen, the cabinetry, trim, counters, electrical.  He even did the fireplace in the living room as well as the wainscoting.  So, he surprised us with this, I think the design on it is called a breadbasket.  It's also continued on the spice rack and trim around the kitchen window.  He really was a talented guy.

Once again I have odds and ends accumulating in the living room, ready to be pieced together.  Everything is here but for the area rug (it's on it's way!!), I just need The Husband to hang the floating shelves (same deal, just different shelves).  And I'm working slowly on the den and office, packing and purging.  I know I could get both rooms done in a day, but I have been having the worst allergies and asthma over the past two weeks.  There isn't a antihistamine I haven't tried.  I used Claritin on Sunday and I thought I would just lie down on my bed for an hour and I woke up 5 hours later and was still groggy.  If you have something good that you take for allergies, let me know.  With the asthma, I just get very winded and have to stop and sit for a few minutes when I'm doing something strenuous (like making a bed or carrying a box, I'm serious, it's a terrible thing to have).  I think it's from everything budding outside but I've never had a spring this bad before.  Sheet.

Rumor has it that The Husband is going to the lake to play with his new fishing boat.  I wish I had a diversion like that right now!  He really needs a break right now and after this wedding I'm going to lock up the house, grab the dogs and head to the lake where I'm not going to do anything but float on a raft and sip spiked lemonade!  But for now, I have to get out and find new shoes, a bra and a clutch purse.  I have a fitting appointment after I get the carpets cleaned tomorrow and then there is another party for Emily Saturday night, sort of a bachelorette party for all the ladies invited.  The stripper party last weekend was just for the bridesmaids! lol!  Sunday is going to be my day of rest.  I mean that. :)

Linking to Feathered Nest Friday at Courtney's

XO,

Jane