Cupid

An early valentine...

"Love unlocks doors and opens windows that weren't even there before."  ~Mignon McLaughlin

An apropos sentiment since blogging has introduced me to so many lovely people.

I love you, my dear Blogville friends!

 
 

Winter Flower Garden

While so many gardens in the US are covered in mulch for a long winter's sleep, here in central Florida, our flower garden has come alive with amazing color.



Our Pericallis hybrid daises are so vivid they almost glow like neon in the evenings.



It's so hot here in the summer that flower gardening is a real challenge so I really enjoy these milder temperatures (high 70s/low 80s) during the winter months.

For our flowers, we've carved out a small plot in front of our guest cottage and enclosed it with decorative wrought iron fencing (to keep the wild boar and other critters from trampling the blooms).



We have several pieces of statuary in the garden, including this iron sign with words from Dorothy Frances Gurney's "God's Garden" poem:



...And this little guy:



And our bird bath that is normally dry because the water constantly evaporates.



Hoping you have a happy, sunny day!

Antique Wire Planter on our Wrap-around Porch

One of my favorite things about our farmhouse?  The wrap-around porch:

It's so big that I've got plenty of room for some special planters which I filled this week with lots of shade-loving plants and impatiens.  Twyla supervised my work:

I found this antique planter years ago at Atlanta's Lakewood Antiques (sadly, now closed):

I manage to squeeze 18 mini potted plants onto it:

I love the curly-qs, and how, over the years, it's become a bit chippy and rusty:

I nabbed this planter shortly after we moved into this house ~ it was displaying candles in a furniture store and I asked the owner if she'd sell it to me (think I embarrassed my shopping companion!) and she said yes!

Even though it's new, because of our high humidity, it too is becoming a bit rusty.  I really like the top of it, with its curvy lines:

Now that the plantings are finished, it's time for a glass of pink lemonade.

(This is my Retro Revival "1940's Daisy Mae" apron)



Share a comment on this post and you're automatically entered to win this vintage tin tray:



Drawing is April 30th ~ good luck!

What Would You Rather Wear in the Garden?

What would you rather wear?  These?



Or these?



Me too!  I was so excited to find these at Joann!  With a 50% off coupon I just couldn't resist.  Nor could I resist going a bit crazy photographing them (my apologies!)...













Perfect for traipsing around the farm and for gardening



Yep, I'm in love!



Friendly reminder to share a comment on this post, or any of my April posts, so you'll be entered to win this month's blog giveaway:



The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!  Winner will be drawn on April 30th ~ good luck!