Friday, April 15, 2011

April day

After rain for the past two days, today’s sunshine was a welcome respite. When I took my late-afternoon walk, I was surprised at the amount of green that’s filling in all the brown that’s been the staple of our landscape.

I can’t believe it’s already mid-April, can you?

I went outside after my walk and took the photos you see here today.


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The pansies in the sun are three times this size, but this planter sits on the shady side of the house. I think the blossoms from this set of flowers are more beautiful than their sun-drenched brothers.


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They’re perfect.


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The architecture going on in the garden continues. My husband’s been working really hard. So far, he’s harvesting lettuce.


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Just fooling around here with the focus ring.


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Guess who got a new collar?


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He has no idea how cool he looks.


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My husband picked this out.


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And finally, the lettuce that was picked from the garden today. We had a nice salad tonight, accompanied by acorn squash and macaroni & cheese with carrots.

Oh, and hey – do you see the corner cupboard in the photo above? The dark area there? That’s the corner cupboard. It spins like a lazy susan and we have three of these in the kitchen. There are two bottom corner cabinets and one top. My husband has this weird habit that I don’t care about telling you here.

He continually keeps these lazy susan cabinets open. His reasoning is that he doesn’t like opening them and closing them all the time; it’s annoying to him. So he just leaves them open, which makes it easier to get to things.

On the one hand, it drives me a little nuts. I don’t like them open.


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But on the other hand, it’s just one of those weird things that someone does. I’ve  never said a word about these it. I’ve come home every day for the past couple of years and I close them. And then I close them again before I go to bed. And before I leave in the morning. And . . . you get the picture.
Ah, well. I’m sure I do a lot of strange things, too.


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Thanks always for your visits. So glad you came by today.

Have a beautiful weekend ~

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All photos in this post taken with the Nikon D80 and 60mm Nikkor macro lens.

49 comments:

Gone Country said...

I just love pansies! They're little faces are so captivating! Beautiful photography too!

You're lettuce looks delish! We tried growing some lettuce and it didn't work out. Maybe next year we'll tackle it again...

And George... he always makes me smile! Love the color too! He's a handsome boy!

TexWisGirl said...

dance of the corner cabinets... :)

that pansy shot is gorgeous! hi george with the new collar!

Deb said...

Love the photo where you were 'fooling around' with the focus ring. Very nice. Your dog is so gorgeous and did you notice his new collar has all the colours of dad's lettuce? Thought that was funny.

Unknown said...

Sweet collar on, oh my, a clean dog!

My husband came home today to find our B.C. in the pond fraternizing with four geese, and if that's not bad enough she stinks to high heaven. George looks like he just came from Buckingham Palace, while she looks and smells like she just arrived from a sheep farm in the Highlands.

Happy Weekend!

~Andrea~

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

I'm laughing at the cupboard doors. This might be one of those things I never let go of, like the watermelon plant. I just think it's hilarious.

The pansies are beautiful, and I love George's new collar.

Country Gal said...

Nice new collar George !
I love pansy's they come in so many colors. Wonderful post and photos. The lettuce looks yummy. Have a great day !

Beth said...

Ok. I've been thinking about getting the flowers planted outside. Way to inspire me. :)

Mental P Mama said...

LOL. I hate to tell you this, but I get his theory....

beth said...

i leave cabinet doors opens, too !!

and oh that george....what a handsome boy with that new collar :)

and wow, i'd love to have fresh lettuce from my own garden...maybe someday :)

watching "life as a house" again.....love that movie !

spindrift,maine said...

In my house, it's never emptying the dish drainer. Why put things away when you are only going to need them again...some time??? Never being able to find my most used cooking tools (which are always at the bottom of the drainer) makes me as crazy as the doors make you (although that, too, happens at my house.)
Happy spring, Kate! ;o)

Deb said...

wow that is great lettuce from you garden for dinner....love your photos....Georges collar is cool...

ELK said...

i'm with you on the cabinets AND how fast April is flying!!

Cat Soup said...

Awesome views of Spring! Makes me ready for the adventure!!

Reena said...

I am so with you on the cabinet doors ... hubby does the same thing and drives me crazy and he puzzles on why it matters.
George is so handsome with his new collar.
And lettuce already! Wow!
Great weekend to you!
Reena

Lisa said...

I smiled about the cabinet doors being open. Seems that its closets here and not mine. I hate hate the door open. I feel a need to clean when I do. Anyway.. I love the photos of George and his new color and the pansy are just yelling its Spring. We have a blizzard going on way up here in Canada . What a lovely day. . Not really .Kate have a lovely weekend. I love my visits here.

Lisa said...

I did mean his Collar

Caroline said...

OMG...I hate have the cabinets open! especially after watching sixth sense *shudders*. I would go nuts!

Caroline said...

I totally forgot...that lettuce looks amazing! Great photos!

Anonymous said...

That's a great looking collar. It matches the lettuce leaves. :-)

We don't have a garden but were discussing this morning if Hubby is going to do tomatoes in pots on the back deck this year. The verdict was YES. You have a nice sized garden there.

DI

Kathryn Dyche said...

He, he,he, I think the door thing is definitely a male trait. My husband has a habit of leaving the kitchen cupboard doors open after he gets something from them. Drives me nuts.

Nurse Nancy said...

Love the pansies.....wish I could join you for some lettuce.

Jane said...

All your pictures are just beatiful! I will soon plant curly leaf mustard in our garden,we love that stuff! It has been raining here too,and calling for it most of next week,I hope their wrong! Blessings jane

Daryl said...

I think I would take the doors off, I have threatened to do this with our kitchen cabinets which are ancient and dont stay closed ... then Toonman put new magnets on so now they not only stay closed you could break a finger nail trying to pull them open. GAH.

Carolynn Anctil said...

Never move to the Pacific Northwest, if you don't like rain. *sigh* We get way too much of it, for my liking and, if that's not bad enough, we got snow yesterday. SNOW. In April. I'm completely disgusted.

Love the cupboard story. The two of you should set up a camera and take some time lapse photography. I'll bet that would be funny to watch. I'm sure George is thinking his bids to go outside & come back in again, are nothing compared to the cupboard neurosis you both share. *smirk*

I'm perfect, so I can say throw words like 'neurosis' around. *smile*

The JR said...

Sounds like cabinet wars....

George is cool even without a new collar.

Have a great weekend!

Skogkjerring said...

Hi Kate,

Nice to stop in today and say hi, see you and your honey have been busy with your garden, I'm jealous you can plant things already!!! Our snow is almost all gone and hopefully soon the frosty nights will be over as well and we can begin planting!! I'd love to have a veggie garden so you're so lucky!

I bet you have some quirky habits that drive your husband crazy too...who doesn't? But a good marriage accepts these quirks and moves on without a second thought...there are more important things to focus on then open cupboards...no matter how much they drive you nuts...think of the alternative...uff...open cupboards = ok
Love George's new collar- is it a Lupine? They have lots of lovely designs. We don't have them here but I thought about importing them once upon a time..but that's where I left it...a thought...

Ok, I have 18 boys here for a late birthday bash for Thomas (13 year olds) so I am going to close...have a wonderful weekend!!

Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking said...

What great photos! The pansies are gorgeous! So wonderful that you are harvesting lettuce. That is so neat. Glad I found your blog.

Amy said...

Beautiful pictures! I have one of those corner thingys too. I too have to close it morning and night. sigh...oh well. I guess it is good that we have people to live with and we are not alone right? Trying to think positive! ha. Blessings!!

Unknown said...

Gerge's new collar co-ordinates perfectly with the lettuce....smiles
TGIF!

Char said...

open cabinet doors kickin my ocd lite - i can't help it.

i love my pansies too - they are happy flowers to me

Dawning Inspiration said...

Beautiful pansies - and your pup...he's stylin'!!!

Mary Lou said...

Come on, George. You know how cool you are.
Lettuce looks great as do the pansies. I love the deep purple ones the best.
Have a good weekend.

Mary said...

Looking forward to some pansies here... your garden looks great, and that lettuce has my mouth watering! And oh, fashion-plate George! Have they called about his cover shoot for GQ yet?
xoxo

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Thanks for the comfy visit, the views of the plentiful garden and great husband, and the coolest of doggie collars. Loved it.

All spring joys,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Cloudia said...

thanks for the pansy treatment!





Aloha from Honolulu


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Jill of All Trades said...

Beautiful pansies...awwww, spring. Yes we have hit the spring time here but along with that we've been weathering tornado weather, rain, and today, brrrrr it has turned cold again. Had to turn the heat on yet again and unstore a jacket.

sharon said...

Love your beautiful pansies! purple and yellows. mmmm love it!! Eat a little extra salad for me will ya. Fresh lettuce is so good.

Kerri Farley said...

Love your pansies! Looks like a great start to the weekend :)
George looks so handsome sporting his new collar .... of course George always looks handsome :)

Unknown said...

George , in his new collar, wow.
Give him a hug from me.

I love your cupboard story. My husband is either gone for stretches traveling for work, or working out of the house. It's the strangest thing trying to establish routines and navigate each other's quirks. I wonder what will happen when we are older and retired. :)

Thank you for the pansies. It's dark and cold and pouring , and I'm still a little down from earlier in the week, so this was much appreciated.

mrs mediocrity said...

Pansies make me smile. Every year I wait for the local garden center to get theirs in and I run over to get some and fill my window boxes. I did that last weekend.
I think when you live with someone, there will always be little things like that. It sounds like you have the right attitude about it, it bugs you, but you don't let it make you crazy. My husband has to have everything in sight, too. All the grilling spices he uses always end up back on the counter rather than in the cupboard, so he can see them. I like them better in the cupboard, out of sight. Oh well.

GailO said...

I constantly close my husbands bedroom closet doors...I don't think he has ever noticed....

Love that lens....

Linda said...

Love the pansies and your dog...well he is very handsome with his new collar!

Tammy said...

My daughter leaves cabinet doors open all the time, she does close drawers though, go figure! Pretty pansies and I love Georges new collar, he really is stylin!

Donalyn said...

Ha - now, this is much worse than me naturalizing Larry's crocuses!

Deb said...

Hubby and I enjoying a wonderful weekend with great weather, warm friends and loving family. I hope you are doing the same!

:::::hugs:::::::

Deb said...

Oh...and in the South, we plant pansies in the fall to last all winter....

Jo said...

That pansy is the most beautiful shade of violet I have ever seen. My goodness...!

Just this morning I was thinking this is my favourite time of the year, when everything is coming to life again, and is so green. Beautiful...!

Lili said...

The pansies are so beautiful and perfect! ohhhh the open cabinets would kind of send me over the edge a little, although I wouldn't even be able to explain why. I can kind of see his point though and I just envisioned getting pinched while trying to close one of those doors, so maybe that would be my way of calming myself down everytime I saw them open. HA! Love George's cool new collar and that glorious harvest of lettuce. xo ~Lili

Joy said...

I love pansies, I just bought some yesterday, my first annual of the season. George looks happy, handsome, and totally cool with his new collar. He also looks happy that spring is here. That lettuce is beautiful.