Early Risers

It's a couple of weeks early, but we're getting some beautiful color outside now.  The trees are still bare and grasses are dormant, but many bulbs are starting to come up.

Daffodils...

 Hyacinths...

...and snowdrops are all showing their faces.

It's almost crocus time!

Strangely, many of our azaleas are budding out.  They really don't get going here until mid-March through April, so hopefully they don't all blaze out and wither prematurely.

 

I love seeing all the green.

I planted tons of muscari (grape hyacinth) and peonies, but the ground in front was so churned up by machines when our trees were felled, chopped, and carted away that I don't hold out hope that any survived.  Still, we have our "old faithfuls" in the helleborus:

Carolina Jessamine:

And, of course, camellias:

I don't mean to pick more flowers when I go out to take photos.  But they're so beautiful and plentiful, and those not picked just fall to the ground in a few days.

So I pick.

And every room, from late February to mid-May, is full of bouquets.  Big bouquets, small bouquets, single stems, whatever. 

I read a story about a famous gardener who regularly cared for over 60 bouquets in her house in spring, so at least I'm not the only one who's crazy for them! 

I've been too busy to do any crafting, but I did find time in the past two weeks to start and finish a mini-quilting project.  Eight wedges are sewn together separately and then pieced together.  I did make ONE mistake:  I used a white piece instead of tan.  Overall, though, I don't really notice it.

I decided to hang it over the back fireplace.  It blends in well, I think.  

I found more vintage craft books at a thrift store this weekend, so hopefully I'll have time soon to pull some design ideas from them.

Have a great week!