At long last....
I have so much to share with you...surprises popping up ...

 ...in the most unexpected places....

and along the path to the backyard...

sweetness in bloom...



....this beautiful Lenten Rose was almost pulled out last summer, due to Grammy's lack of knowledge on the subject. My goodness, what we would have missed if our dear friend hadn't pointed out with great excitement, what we had here on this sweet little path.

There are buds on the Japanese Lilac we planted last summer,
white fluffy buds ready to burst on the Bradford Pears lining the drive...This is what I see of them through my lace curtains...


... and buds on the little dogwood in the front yard.
The roses have fared well and are beginning to put on new growth.
This spring like weather and rain showers, weekly, have everything ahead of schedule.
Mother brought me a bouquet of daffodils to church last Sunday....

(our own way of honoring my baby girl, Rachel Rose, born on 2-26-85 died on 2-27-85 and the daffodils were in bloom. So every year, when they appear, we remember.. )

such beautiful harbingers of Spring!

I have updated the sunroom.  As I spend long days and nights in this space, working on my little Eliza books and a line of greeting cards, I wanted it to be a place I couldn't wait to enter each morning.  So I did a little makeover on my big lampshade. ..

I hung old lace tablecloths as curtains, and brought a big comfy pillow with vintage case, for the wicker daybed. This is the most magical place to paint and create.  The light coming through the lace curtains in the mornings is dappled...inspiring the creation of sweet sentiments....


Which then creates a longing for tea biscuits and a cup of tea....


Before you ask...here's the recipe....



Which then brought about the creation of more greetings...


....best wishes...

and a final sentiment to the sweetness of a newborn babe....


I sat in front of the cozy crackling fire in the ancient fireplace, and thanked God for honoring my efforts...

And for the support and love of a wonderfully romantic husband...


In the Cottage Kitchen...
...all is well with Eliza and her friend Patty Patty. They each have their own "abode" as they were both acquiring quite a bit of belongings.
This is Patty Patty's home....


and this is Eliza's new home ...where Xavier is trying to situate her in Patty Patty's rocker....


They have been making "punkin pies" according to this sweet little grandson, and they are enjoying tea and cookies, as well.


He is pure sweetness, as he plays with the little friends Saturday morning, while still wearing his jammies....


He's grown so tall, he no longer needs to stand on his little stool.

He looks up and says, "Grammy, you know what Ewiza said?  She said they had a good sleep!"


Those big blue eyes melt my world!

He makes sure they have their reading material handy...


I created the little books by wrapping tiny craft store books with green scrap book paper, drawing the picture on tiny scraps of watercolor paper, using rapidograph to outline, and then painting pictures with watercolor.  Here are a couple more photos...


The Tailor of Gloucester is one of my favorites.

And then The Pie and the Patty Pan....


...and Squirrel Nutkin...


But of course, The Tale of Peter Rabbit is our favorite...


Speaking of Peter Rabbit....he's hopping up to the growing lettuce brought from Orlando by my brother..it's Flashy Troutback lettuce...as the leaves resemble a trout..


So I was inspired to put the kettle on...the 'antique rose' kettle...and waited for it to "sing from happiness...for that is home"...


...and prepared a pot of Paris tea...


...in the sweet little Jemima teapot, and poured the steeped tea into a dainty Shelley china tea cup (made in England).  Hot tea tastes even more delicious in a delicate cup. The pattern is called Rosebud...isn't that just too perfectly sweet.


This is Xavier's latest work at the chalkboard....it's the alphabet with pictures to represent the letters he knows...