Signs, Perked Up, Leftover from the Weekend

1. The rocks from my little succulent garden are scattered all over the path. Granddaughter has been here, doing the busy things that toddlers do. Because of the little hands that put them this way, the rocks make me smile and I leave them as they are.
2. I give the perennial beds a face lift by pulling out all the dead stalks, leaves and weeds.
3. Pink frosted sugar cookie, shaped like a bunny and sprinkled with purple sugar.

Easter Weekend in Photos

Mari in her new hat.

Then, 1999

And now, 2012

 Dozens of Praying Mantis babies on our back steps.

Everyone found four leaf clovers.

She just wanted to touch the pretty colors.

The lawnmower is broken so they used the horse-mower. I love the light green color of trees in spring.

Try Them With Eggs, Finally!, In the Sun

1. B. mentioned how delicious these Bacon Cheddar Scones were and she passed the recipe along to me. The kitchen smells so good when they're baking.
2. Daughter #1 and granddaughter arrived this afternoon!
3. We were surprised that the afternoon turned so mild. We ended up having our dinner on the porch and enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Succulent Garden

My dad gave me the hens and chicks about 18 years ago. I've moved them with me wherever we went.

Rainy morning, Good lunch, Can't Wait to Give It

1. Rain patters on the tin barn roof. Light bulbs high up on the rafters add a small glow to the huge space. The horses shuffle in their stalls and the chickens cluck around on the hay bales, but the rain has muffled everything and life is quiet this morning.
1a. Oscar-the-farm-dog pesters a chicken on one of the hay bales. Audrey scoots him away and we peek at the bird, thinking she looks dead. Audrey timidly creeps closer and closer, afraid of seeing the dead bird when suddenly, it flies up at her, squawking loudly and startling us both. We have a good laugh at ourselves.
2. Simple food tastes so good when I'm ravenously hungry. A Swiss cheese sandwich on soft bread with lots of mayo and fresh pineapple on the side is completely satisfying.
3. I found enough scraps of a pretty blue vintage print to sew into a hat for Mari.

Oscar, Morning in Spring, A New Home

1. He sits on my feet and pushes his body against my legs. I feel honored that an animal accepts me this way.
2. At 3:30 in the morning, I get up to open a window and I hear the birds singing.
3. It's that time of year when friends share plants from their gardens. Down the years, I can walk through my garden and recall where (almost) everything came from.

Running Home, May I just Eat the Top?, Multiplying

1. Rabbit's whiskers, back-lit by the setting sun as he scampered across the road. Bunny whiskers : )
2. The ketchup/ mustard/ brown sugar sauce that topped the meatloaf was our favorite part.
3. I played around with the "hens and chicks", giving them more room to spread and redecorated the succulent bed with an old wheel and some ocean-polished rocks.