Happy Spring!

Eastern Redbud Tree

Spring at our Cabin

We've been spending most of our spring weekends up in the mountains at our cabin. 

Driving up to and back from the cabin is always a treat because the beautiful landscape is always changing. Spring comes to the mountains of Idaho much later than it does in the high desert of Boise. When it finally does arrive, it seems like the brown winter meadows turn emerald green almost overnight.

  

This was the view from our car window on a recent early spring morning.  

A full moon glows over the snow that's still frosting the mountain tops, and the misty fog is drifting over the lakes and through the lowlands. Soon the meadows will be the summer pasture to thousands of grazing cows. 

  

Every spring there's a thrill to arriving at the cabin to see the last drift of snow has finally melted from our driveway. 

Just like in the mountain meadows there's an explosion of new green growth all around our property. One of my favorites spots is this corner of the driveway where these soft little green plants spill over the rocks, and I just can't make myself cut them back. One of my goals this year is to learn the names of the wildflowers growing all around us. 

The mountain ash might be my very favorite native Idaho mountain tree. They get creamy white flower clusters in the spring and have bright red berries in the fall. This one next to our cabin was almost dead when we moved in with just a few withered leaves hanging on. I watered it twice a month last summer, hoping to bring it back. Our deep winter snow knocked it completely to the ground and covered it, and then my husband walked on top of it while he was shoveling snow away from our windows. I thought for sure it would be a goner, but here it is reaching for the sun and half covered with leaves and even tiny flower buds! This is one tough little tree, which makes me love it even more!

We only had one bloom last spring from dozens of daffodils we planted the fall before. This year almost every one bloomed, so this fall we'll add lots more. Now that I know they will thrive here under the trees, I aim to plant drifts of them.

These pretty little low growing white wildflowers are one of those I hope to identify this year. Anyone know what it is?

The return of birdsong is one of the best parts of spring in the mountains.

We've been super busy for the past two weekends planting new plants and trees all around the cabin. I hope to share more of them in another blog post. For now, here's a first glimpse of the new plants on the sunny south side of the cabin facing our fire pit area. We're starting out slowly to make sure the plants we've chosen will survive here before we add more.

Spring has been so welcome here where we had such an enormous, almost overwhelming, snowfall last winter. We were so happy and surprised to see that, as each new snow drift melted away, all the trees and bushes we planted last fall survived and are thriving. With each passing season we love our little cabin even more! 

Happy Spring!

Happy spring, everybody!

I'm doing a quick hello on my blog today because tomorrow's the first day of spring, and I just can't miss celebrating it here with you!

There must be something extra magical about the transition to spring this year because today is the first twinge of motivation I've felt since having shoulder surgery a little over a month ago. Somehow, in the course of decorating our Christmas tree last December 2, I managed to tear my rotator cuff and bicep tendon. Ouch! I had surgery on February 16, and will be healing in this straight jacket sling for six weeks, followed by six more weeks of physical therapy. I should be back to 100% in about a year; just in time to decorate for Christmas again! 

What a klutz!

I've been parked on the sofa all day and sleeping in a recliner every night for a month so far - this sling only comes off for bathing, and I'm not going to lie - it sucks big time to lose the use of a limb. Amputees and paraplegics are my new heroes, and I have a huge new appreciation for this winter's Special Olympics athletes. They are superheroes. 

 Icing has become my biggest pastime, along with grumbling under my breath at my sling. (Oh man, do I HATE this thing. It gives me claustrophobia big time, and it wakes me up at night with panic attacks.) At the same time, though, I'm constantly sending up my thanks for the loving care I've received from my family and for how lucky I am to have expert medical care that will allow me to use my arm and hand again soon. 

I am SO LUCKY! 

My spring decorating today consisted of moving two small jars of flowers from a shelf to the dining room table and taking these one-handed phone photos of them. I'm typing this with my index finger. So very little, but so significant for me because I was starting to think I'd never get my mojo back.

So, HAPPY SPRING to you all!

I'm really feeling it today, and I hope you are, too!

Spring Decor at the North End Loft!

I said it last week, and I'll say it again this week:

HAPPY SPRING, EVERYONE!

I just can't get enough of yellow daffodils, pink blossoms popping out on trees, and big fluffy clouds in the cornflower blue sky. 

I'm love, love, loving Spring this year! 

And it helps a whole bunch that I can decorate my home again this Spring after my long health hiatus. It felt SO GREAT to sprinkle some seasonal Spring cheerfulness around the house today, and I even had some energy left over to take a few photos. 

Life is good! 

And I hope it's good for you today, too!

Have a wonderful week!

Let's start the week off with a fab party!

Between Naps On The Porch

Sundays at Home

Tuesdays at our Home

The Scoop

Inspire Me Tuesday

Tutorials and Tips Link Party

Wow us Wednesday

Share Your Style

Inspiration Monday

Foodie Friday and Everything Else

Feathered Nest Friday

The Inspiration Gallery

A Moment of Spring in the Dining Room

The sun broke through the clouds for just a moment today during a heavy rain storm here. I was sitting in the dining room drinking my tea and listening to the rain when the glimmer of sunlight on the wall next to me inspired me to grab my phone and take a picture. 

These flowers are the only bit of spring I've managed to add to our home during the disorganization of installing new floors. It's wonderful how a bit of sunshine and some pretty flowers can lift one's spirits!

Rain or shine, I hope you have a lovely spring day!

A spring party sounds fun!

Rooted In Thyme

Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs. Olson

Happy May Day!

Happy May Day to you! 

To celebrate the first day of May I'm sharing my favorite part of my spring garden. 

  

This corner of our garden is always the first to show signs that spring has arrived. My daughters gave me this Bleeding Heart, so of course it's my favorite flower in the garden.  

 

   

These are our very first blossoms from our new little Eastern Redbud Tree we planted last summer.

  

This corner has always been pink and white in the spring.

 

Next to the Redbud Tree and the Bleeding Heart is a lilac tree. 

 

For years this lilac has been struggling under the shade of our big locust tree. 

 

But since we had that tree cut down last year, it's happily basking in the sun it needs and putting out lots of new limbs. 

 

I never wanted to rob it of its few blooms in years past, but this year there's more than enough to cut and bring indoors.

 

As I sit here writing this post in my studio, I'm surrounded by the sweet scent of lilacs. 

 

Tucked into a mason jar high up on a shelf with the birds.

Nothing says May Day like lilacs!

I'm so happy to announce that my good friend Sharon is hosting her Elizabeth & Company Garden Parties again this year. I'm heading over there right now, and I sure hope you'll join me!

  
Happy May Day!

Don't stop partying! This week I'm also over at

 Common Ground

 French Country Cottage

Fishtail cottage 

 From My Front Porch To Yours

Rooted In Thyme

 

 

Spring Fantel

Thank you for all your kind encouragement as I took the exciting plunge into the world of Apple. It took two whole days to migrate my files over to my new MacBook, but here I am. 

 I made it!

At the same time I was learning how to use my new laptop, I was finishing up moving into my new craft room. It's been so much work! But, honestly, how lucky am I to have two new creative spaces?!

The luckiest person ever!

I'm so relieved to have my "stuff" all around me again. I still have tons of decorating of my new room to do, like picking out a rug, making new curtains, and arranging and rearranging everything just so. But I just couldn't wait to show you my favorite part of my new space. 

I've always envied the beautiful fireplace mantels I've seen on other blogs, decorated for all the different seasons and holidays. My house doesn't have a fireplace, though. (I know, how sad is that?) But now I have a shelf in my new craft room that will be my fake mantel. My fantel! 

And (drumroll please) I already have it decorated for spring. I know, I know, it's the ONLY sign of spring in Idaho right now, but I just couldn't wait!   

 

 I love my fantel! 

It was hard to keep it simple for my first try at styling and photographing this little four foot long shelf. I wanted to pile every remotely springy item in the house on it.

What do you think? Did I do okay for a fantel newbie? 

  

 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today, and I hope you'll visit again to see my 

 Saint Patrick's Day Fantel. 

And my Easter Fantel.

And my Mother's Day Fantel.

And...

well, you get the idea. 

I love my fantel! 

Please join me this week at these fun link parties!

Jennifer Rizzo 
Stone Gable 
My Repurposed Life 
Shabby Art Boutique 
Tatertots and Jello 
Our Home Away From Home
Elizabeth & Co. 
The Cottage Market 
Beyond the Picket Fence