Signs of Spring

Today was a beautiful day. The sun was out in full force. Oh how I have missed the beautiful sunshine! It was pretty windy, but that just made it the perfect weather for breaking out the kite we found thrifting a couple weeks ago. :)

Raven also got a chance to try out her "new" digital camera. She has been really interested in wanting to learn more about photography. We had so much fun taking photos around the yard of all the little signs of Spring that are beginning to show themselves....the tiny crocuses, the daffodils just beginning to wake up from their long winter slumber, and the little lacy Love-in-a-mist plants that are beginning to sprout in the garden.

Grandma came over with her new puppy for a walk and Ella picked tiny bouquets of flowers and we sat in the wooden swing magazines in hand and soaked up the sunshine.

Urban Homestead Happenings...

Today I collected the first egg from one of our new little hens. :) It's a tiny little egg, but it's an egg nonetheless. :D Today we also happened upon baby praying mantis nymphs emerging from their egg case, which was nestled among the potted hen and chicks on the front porch. The daisies, roses and peonies are now in full bloom and smell so sweet. I love spring.

It's a hot pepper, no it's a bell pepper...no wait you're both right!

Dh found these growing this way in the garden. Apparently I must of planted our green bell pepper plants just a little too close to the hot pepper plants, LOL.

Ella was so cute today (not that she's not cute everyday, she was just extra cute today). *smile* When we got home from grocery shopping and got out of the car she went over and picked me flowers and said "Here these are for you Mommy, happy birthday!" (and no it's not my birthday, she's just really into birthdays these days lol). We took them inside and I told her we'll go put them in some water. She handed them to me and said "Here Mommy, they're thirsty" *giggle*.

Goodbye to Summer

This time of year the garden starts to look pretty shabby, most of the flowers have bloomed and went to seed. The colors of summer have faded. The recent windstorm didn't help matters much either. All the remaining flowers that haven't died already were blown down, flattened like pancakes all over the yard. The only color left in my flower beds are my cosmos. Their stalks are all flattened and going every which way but I don't have the heart to cut them down just yet because even though they are laying on the ground they are still full of buds just waiting to burst open with color and beauty. So I left them (much to the dismay of my OCD yard tending neighbor I'm sure) but I'm so glad I did. They have been providing me with lots of lovely cut flowers, filling the house with color... a final hurrah to summer.