the craft den...

Only now am I actually realizing the benefit of the craft den.  Yes, it has been almost a whole year since it's been finished...

I am so much more likely to actually paint if I don't have to clean up after every 20 minute session!

I'll post photos of the finished products if they begin to resemble something painted by a grownup versus a fifth-grader....

Working Woman

What do I do on my one day of Stay-Cation this whole spring thus far??

Guilt myself into finally fixing the big eyesore that is (was) our frontyard --- (remember those plumbers who managed to dig holes in the front, in the back, and chop down our phone line??)

Yes, we'd been waiting for 'sodding season' for months, and managed to miss out on the one weekend that Lowe's actually had St. Augustine available when both of us could've helped with the manual labor...  and so...

all up to moi!!!!  traveled solo to the local sod farm to load up with this whole truckfull, unloaded it all, prepped all the ground (the worst)... and voila!

the welcome intruder

I know, from my Aunt Anne with the green thumb, that Wisteria is a weed, a vine, some version of a predator that will overtake my trees and shrubs and render them emaciated after it sucks the life out of them....

but I cannot help but love Wisteria this time of year, especially as it cascades like an canopy over the entrance to my backyard.

Does this make me a yard masochist?

A little color

I'm having such a dorky good time with my new camera and the hints of spring that have hit our yard....

Lenten Rose, Helleborus, aka my favorite and a regular feature.  This year I tripled the amount in the yard... Jimmy even helped ;)

Bob, aka our last daffodil... I took his buddies for granted and barely paid them any attention while they were all in bloom.  (also happened with our Japanese Magnolia in the back, now all deflowered...)

Another of the bush out front.  Little bugs have had their way with him.

One of the more colorful Lenten Roses in our yard. 

my new favorite website

I rarely poke fun at myself on Windsor (just on Bouchelle), and I guess this still isn't poking fun at myself, but this website was brought to my attention by a good friend Angela Ulrich, who knows that two of my favorite things are 1) decorating my home like Restoration Hardware and 2) sarcasm.

So please, feast your eyes and your belly laughs on this website: Catalog Living

Their mantra is

"A look into the exciting lives of the people who live in your catalogs."

Basically just take pictures that are typically scattered all over catalogs and design blogposts, and make fun of the theoretical people who live in these houses.

A copied preview (is this ok??) of three of my favorite posts:

It's a Sign

Gary chuckled knowing that somewhere in Belgium a driver was hopelessly lost, having missed the turn at Via Kalenberg.

Greasing the Wheels

Elaine was thrilled to finally have a classy way to enjoy the occasional swig of olive oil in public.

No Bones About It

To be fair Elaine, I specifically asked not to be in charge of decor for the wake.

Just go visit it... I chuckled out loud every post during Grand Rounds this week ... (shouldn't get cell service in lecture hall), and now I am going to follow it daily.