Kaseys Korner

spring birdcage tag & hyacinths

It's been snowing for over 24 hours here, we have at least 8" on the ground but that isn't stopping me from thinking about Spring!

No sirree!

I'm on a mission to plow thru this "little" setback the same efficient way the streets are being cleared.

We can make it now ~ we're in the last week of February!

And in two more weeks, we'll set the clocks forward, giving us more evening daylight ~ from that point on, we'll be coasting.  :)

No way this cold day is going to dampen my spirits or enthusiasm for the season "just around the corner." 

While the snow was swirling yesterday, I pulled out more old papercrafting supplies and created this sweet tag.  Birdcage cling stamp by TPC Studio, bee embellishments by K&Co.  

It "spoke" of Spring to me.... 

We won't need the paper variety soon, the bees will be out for real before we know it.

 i

On the windowsill, there are lots of forced hyacinths waiting to bloom & polish the chill off the remaining days of winter. 

Like the three popped into a metal container & hung outside during an unseasonably warm day last week. 

It warmed my heart to see a flower outdoors again, even if it was only temporary.

In not so many days, there will be more, they are there, waiting patiently underneath the snow.

For the next sunny day... 

The garden will be back to life in no time now.  I'm oh so ready!!!  I bet you are too?!!!

 

p.s.  This little girl became part of our family exactly one year ago today.

I think she knows she's found her forever home!

 

2014 garden additions

Just like many of you, I'm starting to think about the 2015 garden.  

What it will look like.  

What should be added, subtracted, repeated....  

Above:  Ipomoea x imperialis 'Sunrise Serenade'

Double morning glory 'Sunrise serenade' should definitely be repeated.  

Afterall, it had no sooner started blooming when the bunnies chewed it off at the base last summer.

I was lucky to have snapped a couple pics the morning these first blooms opened because by the same evening, the whole vine was wilting.

Echinacea 'Supreme Cantaloupe' is something else I want to repeat.

You might remember last season was my first time succumbing to a double flowering (fancy) Echinacea.  

It was the color that got me (remember the apricot post) ~ how I'm a sucker for anything that fades to antique apricot...

Unfortunately, the rabbits got it too.  They really seem to love Echinaceas??

Every one I plant, they chew to soil level.

Just like they did my prize David Austin 'French Lace' floribunda rose.

ugh.  2014 was already a difficult year in the garden but the financial impact directly attributed to rabbits was hard to suffer.  Loss after loss due to their insatiable appetites...

The only positive thing I can say is they have good taste!

I'm hoping they did not get Anemone 'Pretty Lady Emily' which was added last fall.  

I need more carefree, reliable perennials plus (obviously) a potent, effective rabbit deterrent, that's for sure.

I would also like to try Amaranthus 'caudatus' (love-lies-bleeding) again.

I squeezed it into a container last summer, with too many other inhabitants, and the photo below is the best it looked before stalling out and more or less failing to thrive. 

Lesson learned here:  Pace myself, there's always next year.  It sure didn't pay off trying to have everything at once when space is a consideration.

Fuchsia magellanica 'Lady's Eardrops' overwintered indoors so it will definitely be back in the 2015 garden.

Such a very elegant fuchsia...

Thanks for going along on this part of the review with me ~ looking back at the previous seasons garden is a "must do" for me each year.

The photos are reminders of failures & successes and give me a jump start on planning.  This year, when I want to strive toward a more "maintenance-free" garden, reviewing is even more important.  I want to confine the annuals & tender plants to containers (and to a minimum) and plant more "hardy" plants directly into the garden.  We'll see how that manifests.  

I'm curious how everyone else plans?  Do you keep a list of plants you want to add (mental or physical) or work from another angle???     

Valentine butterfly card

There has been some "craftiness" going on around here.  

Starting with handmade Valentine's.  

I didn't intend to make any this year.  

I purchased a few store bought cards, addressed them, sent them out & thought I was DONE.

THEN something came over me ~ not sure what?? ~ and out came the crafting supplies & a few handmade ones were "born."

These were all created using old, old, old supplies so I hope no one wants to re-create them!

It would probably be impossible, at the very least, frustrating to find the supplies.

I live in a town that hand stamps Valentine's with a special message each year which is why I always try to mail a few out.

I've even thought of sending Valentine's instead of Christmas cards (because of the special stamping) but so far, I haven't carried out that thought....

Creating the Valentine's ignited some spark in me because the next thing I knew, a banner was being crafted.

Not the best, most professionally made banner, but nonetheless, a banner!!

I thought it would dress up the mirror which was looking a little bare after removing the Christmas decorations.

Finally, after hanging the banner, the idea popped in my head to thread some alphabet beads on wire & stick them to the pot at the bottom right of above photo.

Where did that come from?

Voila!  Now I'm truly done.

That's more decorating for this holiday then I usually do!

 

I wish I would have gotten in gear sooner.  There's only one week to go then I guess even this little bit will all have to come down too.  :(  

Anyone else made anything for Valentine's?  Sent any cards??  or is this an activity now mostly for school-age kids???


 

antique silver fan vase

The past week was one of highs and lows.  The highs ~ two days of 70 degree weather!!!

For January, that is a TRUE GIFT.  :)

I spent both days doing yard clean-up, fixing my fence, washing the car & getting my pond filter hooked back up, among other tasks.

Then two days later, felt all that extra activity in my knees!  

ugh.  I'm wondering if they'll ever be the same again????

Meanwhile, the lows of the week involved losing another neighbor.

That's where the roses come in ~ his wife brought them to me after the service.  

I picked the silver fan vase to display them.  I love how narrow it is but yet the width makes it possible to create a 'substantial" looking centerpiece.

Above:  on my dining room turntable...

The vase was picked up at an antique store a few years ago when I didn't even realize what it was.  I just thought it looked cool!  Enter Pinterest ~ the answer to everything....  :)

Amaryllis 'Charisma' also opened this week.

Most of my Amaryllis have been slow to bud this year and I'm not sure why?

Aside from not getting them outside last summer, all their other care has been the same as usual.

'Charisma' is a pretty one.  The speckles of red are what I like the most about it.

There will be other Amaryllis appearing on the blog soon but I hope this one lasts till Valentine's.  

Meanwhile, RIP Mr. Howard.  We will miss you in the cul-de-sac.

p.s. I also had snowdrops open this past week.

How exciting is that??  Blooms in January!!!  Hard to beat....