The House Is Filled With Spring

     This week my house is bursting with spring color, both inside and out. We came home from my mother-in-law's service yesterday with our arms full of beautiful flowers. Some were sent from friends, others were pulled from the arrangements that the family had at the church. We will be having a private graveside service when my daughter is here in May, so we couldn't take the flowers to the cemetery. You will see a large bouquet on my Easter table later this week...but, I had to share this beautiful arrangement with you.

I have always loved the purple/red combination...

some florists aren't brave enough to do it!

     Our tulips burst into bloom this week. We get the bulbs in Holland, MI which is known for tulips. I like to mix up the colors. There are still a few that haven't opened. We have a hard time getting them to come back each year. This is our second year with these bulbs and we did lose a few. The wind was blowing like crazy when I was trying to take these pictures, so they aren't perfect.

I am joining Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday and

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Please join these lovely ladies and enjoy what you find on their blogs!

Thank You and Met Monday

     Thank you all so much for your kind words and prayers. My

mother-in-law's services will be held Monday morning. We spent Saturday ordering flowers and taking my father-in-law to get a haircut, clothes for the service and out to lunch. It was a long, sad day. He seems so old and so broken. I really don't know if he will bounce back from this as he isn't physically in very good shape and mentally he gets so confused. I guess time will tell. We appreciate each of you so much and sincerely thank you for taking time to leave a comment or send a message.  

     It will be a few days before I get back to visiting you. I did want to share a small project that I worked on last week. Last fall I bought a chandelier at a garage sale for $4. I had no idea what I would do with it, but I knew that at some point I'd find a use for it.

This is how it looked when we bought it.

     I stripped off the yellowed "candles" and then hosed it off and let it dry in the sun. A can of white spray paint made such a difference. I usually hang a basket of flowers on the front porch, but I decided to go for a "conversation piece" this year. I don't like using silks, but I couldn't think of a way to have dirt hanging up there. From a few steps away, they do look real.

What do you think? I'll do a post with the front

porch once we have visited the nursery for flowers.

I'm joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday.

Please take a moment to visit her and see all the wonderful projects this week.

    

Rest In Peace

My mother-in-law's name was Lillie.

     As of a little before 4 this morning, she is at peace. My husband is doing okay, but in that stunned place where you realize that your mom is gone. My father-in-law is very confused and we really aren't sure how he will get through this. Please keep him in your prayers.

It's Black, It's White

     My inspiration for this tablescape came from the cute little black and white bird plates. I found the set of 4 at TJ Maxx (can you tell there is a TJ Maxx near the nursing home that we now visit every weekend). They are 222 Fifth, Garden Revelry and the set was $4.50!

     I bought the table runner at the same time. Rather than use a large centerpiece, I decided to add just a touch of color to the black and white with these little multi-colored vases (Crate and Barrel) and white daisies.  Black placemats and black and crystal stemware finish the look.

     The milk glass candlesticks were brought home from my in-laws home a few weeks ago. They have been in the family for many years. I placed a votive candle at each place setting.

My charcoal gray flatware goes well with the gray in the runner.

I added bunny napkin rings to black

 napkins as an added touch of spring.

     The white basket weave dessert plates were the last of my purchases from my CSN win from bj @ sweet nothings. They are 10 Strawberry Street and go well with everything. They are layered on top of black plates from WalMart.

 

I used Certified International dinner plates.

I love the edge of these plates.

By candlelight...

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

for Tablescape Thursday. Please stop in to say

hello to our hostess!

A Prayer in Spring

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy in the happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

The which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends He will,

But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Robert Frost


 

I am joining Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer

for Outdoor Wednesday