It Was One Of Those March Days

It was one of those March days

when the sun shines hot 

and the wind blows cold:

when it is summer in the light,

and winter in the shade.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens' verse aptly describes the weather we had today, and it was scrumptious! It was the kind of day when you throw open the windows and hear a choir of songbirds outside no matter where you are in the house. After several months of on-again
off-again hot dusty Santa Ana winds, it was delightful to turn off the AC and feel a spring breeze drift through the kitchen. 
I've been reading through some old issues of       Birds and Blooms magazines and came across   a tip to help keep a birdbath clean.

You need to begin with a clean birdbath, of course. Ours gets pretty icky with slimy rust-colored algae which is difficult to remove. Some people use cider vinegar or bleach to remove the majority of the gunk, and then give the bath a scrubbing and good rinse with clean water. I've found that using pebbles works like a charm! You can also use a handful or two of sand. 
I put on an old garden glove then scour the bottom and sides of the birdbath with a handful of pebbles. Rub the pebbles all over the dirty surfaces and you'll be surprised how well it removes the algae. 

Did you know that copper is a natural algaecide? Once the bowl is clean, drop half a dozen pennies onto the bottom. Take note, however, that the pennies must be pre-1982 for them to be effective. Newer pennies don't contain the copper needed to do the job.

I need to add more coins but didn't have enough pre-1982
pennies. You can also use a small piece of copper pipe. 

One swallow does not make a summer

but one skein of geese, cleaving

the murk of March thaw,

is the Spring.

Aldo Leopold 

I'm happily anticipating the return of a pair of Orioles that frequent our backyard. It's time to put out some oranges for them. Are you doing something to welcome migrating birds? Have any tips to share?

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Moon Shadows and Irises

There was a lunar eclipse the other night that was visible in our time zone beginning at 1:50 a.m. College Girl and I went outside at 1:35 and were amazed at just how bright the moon was and how well we could see everything. I took this photo of the patio and the fire pit and table can be clearly seen, as well as the yellow color of the sunflowers! I didn't use a tripod so the sunflower photo turned out blurry, but you get the idea.

The shadows looked so stark - such high contrast!

This week I played along again at CSI and made another scrapbook page. Here is the Case File for the page I created ~ You have to use all the colors, two items from Evidence and one Testimony.

I made a page about how every year the Easter Bunny places an egg in the Iris blooms in our backyard for the egg hunt. How strange! It's amazing that the Iris blooms just in time for Easter, even though Easter falls in March some years and in April in others. 

SEE THE EASTER EGG RESTING IN THE IRIS BLOOM?
 LOOK AT THE CENTER OF THE RIGHT PHOTO


I machine-stitched around the page edges. I also stitched yarn and string onto the page on opposite corners. I did stamping and embossing in both corners, too. I got the idea to use embossing powder on the page from my friend Patty - she always uses fun techniques.

You can see the glitter and shine of the melted embossing powder along with a purple heart button, brads, and stitched yarn.

I overlapped the photos of the Iris and placed the right one on foam adhesive for a little lift and dimension. The purple mesh peeking out from underneath the photos came off the top of a honey jar. Waste not, want not! 

Did anyone see the lunar eclipse? What crafty

 thing are you working on right now? 

Have a great Friday :)

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Tweet, Tweet!

It's Spring!

Farewell to chills and colds!

The blushing, girlish World unfolds,

Each flower, leaf and blade of sod-

Small letters sent 

to her from God.

John Updike

The Grosbeaks have returned! We are so delighted to have them visiting each day for a snack, a drink or a bath. The female isn't as bright as her partner, but she is a lovely shade of orange and has striking white bands on her wings.

The male Black Headed Grosbeak has a distinctive dark hood, tail and wings. I took this photo of the Grosbeaks at the seed cylinder, below, from inside the house through our kitchen window!

They happily take turns nibbling almonds and sunflower seeds with other visiting birds. 

Remember a few weeks ago a friend sent me a bird swing? Here is a House Wren using it!

Have you seen Black Headed Grosbeaks in your neck of the woods? They live in a large area of North America during the warmer months, then migrate to Mexico in Winter.

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Mosaic Monday

Yellow Flowers, Yellow Birds...It's Spring!

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose 

I would always greet it in a garden. 

 ~Ruth Stout 

One of the surest signs of Spring for us is the return of a pair of yellow Orioles who first visited our backyard two years ago. I can't tell you how happy I was to see 'mama and papa' Oriole again! They flew to the Hummingbird feeder first, but quickly recognized their own feeder hanging from the arbor in the corner of the backyard. They are quite shy, but I did manage to take photos of them last year. Here is the less flamboyant female~

Here is a photo of her mate~

I think I have found the perfect cup for tea this afternoon! Isn't this Shelley bone china teacup gorgeous?




 It's called Daffodil Time. The handle is a lovely shade of yellow.

 

photo by The Missing Piece

Wouldn't it be lovely to come upon a wooded copse with Daffodils nodding their heads in the breeze?
 

What signs of Spring have you seen in your neck of the woods?

 

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March Card Party

For this monthly card party you select four photos previously shared on your blog that you think would make nice note cards. Now that the shamrocks are stowed away, my thoughts turn to Easter. Can I interest you in buttery warm scones and fresh strawberries?

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, An Easter Hymn

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. 

 ~Ruth Stout

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Good Golly, It's Holi!

It is almost spring and I wish I was welcoming it with a spring in my step! Instead, I'm taking anti-inflammatory medication and wheeling around the house in an office chair. Ugh! Sciatica! I went to the doctor and he told me to stretch often throughout the day, which hurts like the dickens. Handyman has been running himself ragged waiting on me, cooking, doing laundry. Thank goodness he is here to lift me when I need it because hopping is not my idea of a good time when my other leg is in pain. Today he helped me stand and made the innocent comment, "good thing I'm strong." I looked at him and we both burst into laughter. Yes, my love, and good thing I have a sense of humor because that came out wrong!

My only sacre du printemps this week will be  to enjoy the colors and fun College Girl and her fellow students had celebrating Holi this week. Never heard of the Hindu festival?

Every year thousands of people in India and Nepal participate in the festival Holi, which has many purposes. First and foremost, it celebrates the beginning of spring. Originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter.

When my daughter got home from school she was a tie-dyed version of herself, and as colorful as a...

 Words of wisdom for anyone who hasn't experienced sciatica pain; stretch now before it's too late! ha ha

 

The First Narcissus

all posters.co.uk

 

Now in the oak the sap of life is welling,
Tho' to the bough the rusty leafage clings;
Now on the elm the misty buds are swelling,
See how the pine-wood grows alive with wings;

Rosemary abuzz with bees

Blue-jays fluttering, yodeling and crying,
Meadow-larks sailing low above the faded grass,
Red-birds whistling clear, silent robins flying,--
Who has waked the birds up? What has come to pass?

 

Hydrangea covered in buds

   

Now on the plum the snowy bloom is sifted,
Now on the peach the glory of the rose,
Over the hills a tender haze is drifted,
Full to the brim the yellow river flows.
Dark cypress boughs with vivid jewels glisten,
Greener than emeralds shining in the sun.
Who has wrought the magic? Listen, sweetheart, listen!
The mocking-bird is singing Spring has begun.

Henry Van Dyke

The first Narcissus in the garden!

Such joy to see the beginnings of Spring - sweet reminders of the continuity of life.

Any signs of Spring where you are? It won't be long! Time change is just a couple of weeks away. 

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Earliest Spring In A Century~

Spring has arrived! The start of the Vernal Equinox will arrive today (March 20) at 05:14 Universal Time, or 1:14 a.m. EDT. Even more intriguing is that for those in the Mountain and Pacific Time zones, the equinox actually arrived Monday night (March 19).  If you'd like to read about what the equinox entails, click on the link. It is fascinating! Spring 2012 is early...it hasn't been this early since 1896~

To start the day off right, I decided to have breakfast on the patio~ And what better cup to drink my tea from than Brambly Hedge 'Spring'?

Wilfred is pictured here using his pea shooter...mischievious mouse! The artwork on this Royal Doulton set is by Jill Barklem.

  
Spring has a pale yellow border with pastel colored flowers~

I can easily slip one or two fingers into the sweetly curved handle~

A wreath of branches and leaves encircles the central image, and the plate has a lovely scrolled edge in white~

There is a cake at the top because it is Wilfred's birthday today! He doesn't know it yet, but the mice of Brambly Hedge are planning a surprise picnic for him. Mrs. Crustybread is preparing a big pink cake for the occasion~

A tiny Madame Alexander doll keeps me company on this sunny morning~ She wears a straw hat to shade her eyes...See the pawprints on her dress and the teddy in her pocket?

On the menu today is grapefruit and a whole grain bagel, sans cream cheese~

I walked two miles before breakfast, then had some almonds. As I sat down to my toasted bagel I could hear the sounds of children playing from the nearby elementary school. I really like that sound! Laughter, squeals, a friendly shout, and then the bell rings and all goes quiet as the children head back to class~ I am left listening to the twitter of birds.

Happy first day of Spring!

 As a reminder, I am having a teatime giveaway~ To enter, visit my Milk Or No Milk? post and leave a comment. Do you take milk and/or sugar in your tea? See the 'Keep Calm and Have A Cup Of Tea' box above? It is up for grabs!

I just learned that my Valentine shortbread Teabag cookies are a finalist in a home-made craft contest at Sweet Leaf Tea! I'd love if you would vote for my cookies before March 27!! Here is the link~ I could win $100. Thanks so much :)

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