THE BEGINNING OF SPRING SPRUCE UP OUTSIDE

I saw a robin in this bath this afternoon but he flew away before I could get my camera..... I have a family of 4 robins that stay in our front yard most of the summer. I am sure going to try to get a good picture of them when they arrive this summer.........Maybe the one I saw today is the DADDY and he came to "check things out" before moving his family to their summer retreat?

Just cute, little METAL flowers for now but maybe it won't be TOO long until I will have the

REAL thing.........

My little cottage mailbox is about 8 years old but the colors are still bright and vivid of the little hand painted cutie.......It is located just under the carport shade and I am sure that is why the colors have stayed bright so well. All it really needs for the spring/summer season is a good cleaning......

I had a large star on my front porch LONG before the barn stars became popular. I've just always loved STARS.........

This is one flag that can stay out ALL THE TIME...rain, sleet, snow, darkness. It's metal and my oldest granddaughter, the Lovely Jess, made it for me. I love it...... but not anywhere CLOSE to how I LOVE JESS. :)

I do love the AMERICAN FLAG, don't you? I think it's so pretty.....I ALWAYS have a flag flying in my front yard! And have been known to have one in my living room....if it's good enuf for MARY EMMERLING, it's good enuf for me. She ALWAYS uses one as decoration in her pretty living room.

Someone took a flag I had hanging in this spot last summer....seemed strange that someone would STEAL an American flag....I figured they must have needed it more than I did, so I just bought another one.........

As you can see, our grass has a LONG way before greening up.......... I added some fertilizer yesterday, after Sweet Hubby scalped the lawn and edged it........ We have to water our lawns here regularly as we seldom have rain....... In fact, the last 2 summers, our water has been rationed to some extent. Only certain hours that we could water.....we are in such a drought now that I fear we may be in a much tighter ration THIS summer...........

I LUV bricks.....I almost collect them but I know that is very strange indeed so if you mention it to anyone, I will deny it to my dyin' day!!!!!!!

See those tiny green "things" growing between the bricks? Those are the SWEETEST violets you've ever seen. They will get so thick and lush and violet colored by mid summer. The only bad thing about them is that, out here in West Texas, they only bloom about 2 full weeks......SAD !! But, I also LOVE the luscious green of the flower and the leaves will stay all summer long. They do suffer when it gets hot and dry so I really have to pay attention to them....

There's a few more coming thru......

This is a lovely FAUX wreath for right now...I am beginning to CRAVE flowers....It won't be too long until I can get a real one to hang beside my front door........

I am anxious to get some Boston ferns to hang on my long, front porch and some potted plants that bloom.....Now that warm weather is here (it was 85 here today), I am soooo ready for FLOWERS....COLOR.....GREEN...... As long as the temps were cooler and cold, I was content with WINTER....now however....I am ready to move into SPRING.

I can't even begin to tell you how many fabulous hours we have enjoyed this front porch swing.....our grand kids have all enjoyed it so much, as did our kids before them. It is old, weather-beaten, extra large and I just love it to pieces. I will make a cushion and new pillow covers for it this summer....but I think I may need to paint the swing first........

Do you have a good, relaxing place on your front porch to rest and just watch life go by for a little while? It is sooooo GOOD FOR THE SOUL.

Love, bj