Pre-Op Luncheon

We all live so close to each other but it's ridiculous how seldom we see each other much less get all of us together. What better reason to finally do so than one of us having a brain tumor removed this week; I can't think of a thing better. Above, from the left, Mellie, Hope, Janine, and Karen. So sorry, Karen, it's not a great photo of you but it's the only one I got and would not leave you out for a thing. Mellie is the one who is undergoing surgery tomorrow, Thursday the 17th. She has details posted on her blog.

Please forgive me for showing off my table. I do love to dress a table and my dining room is my favorite in the house so I just had to...

...but it does look so much better with people added!

And food and gifts!!!!

It just so happened that we had other reasons to get together. Hope's birthday was the day before and...well...you'll have to check with her for other details. I wondered if it was wrong to use an artist's own art to decorate their gift. As you can see, she was quite pleased. I was going to use several of her stamps but when I placed this one in just black ink it was so simply beautiful that, along with a simple robin's-egg-blue ribbon, it was perfect. All agreed. If you too want to have a great style, click here.

Even the Kahlua cake that Janine made deserved its own photo-IT WAS FANTASTIC!!! I shall post the recipe as soon as it surfaces, I promise. *******Please keep Mel and her family in your thoughts and prayers especially today, tomorrow, and the next few days******

Finally, Spring is Coming Around...Slowly

Here it is the middle of April and we are still having pretty cold weather, using the heater, and wearing winter clothes. Except last week when we had two hot days...hot because it was so dang humid that in the 70 degrees felt like a sweltering 90. But I'm not here to complain, I'm here to celebrate our color coming back, so here it is...

We have not one but two requisite cherry trees in our yard; one in the front, one in the back. They start out white as snow then turn pink then fall off, it looks like snow again, then the green comes out.

Believe it or not with all my love of gardening and flowers I've never tried bulbs before. So last fall I went straight from a young mother's funeral (from breast cancer) to Lowe's to get bulbs. I went directly home and planted them not knowing if I was doing it right...I just knew I needed to do something as a permanent reminder of not only Denise but also of her husband and three children left to grieve her. I had always heard that they are to be planted in fall but forget as fall is when I start to freak out about the color going away instead of thinking of planting. The occasion inspired me to break the pattern and have a remembrance of the spring bloom that follows the winter death. I was so pleasantly surprised that it looks like I did it right. I'll try to remember to add more next fall but please...no need for the same reminder or inspiration.

That hardy Vinca, kept at it all winter somewhat, and now back early and in bloom and ready to jump.

This falcon or whatever it is landed in back of our house week before last. My father-in-law and I studied it for quite some time then I got out my camera. It made several great sweeps around the back yard right when my batteries were dying but I got at least these for proof.

This is the cherry tree from our back yard in full bloom. Updates as they arrive. Still stalking the birds at the feeder quietly but haven't caught my perfect photo-op yet but have been enjoying in person very much.