I usually say fall is my favorite time of the year, but when April arrives, it always makes me glad to be alive. Mike's kept the yard nice all winter, and cleaned the flower beds, and now it's paying off.
I think this purple verbena was planted as an annual, but it made it through the warmish winter and is prettier than last year. Maybe I luckily bought a perennial variety. It sure does brighten up the corner of the front bed.
The Lenten rose was brought from Washington this time last year and had a pretty rough trip back. Mike babied it through the winter, and now it looks healthy. We'll have to wait and see if it rewards him with that distinctive burgundy flower.
The amaryllis is ready to bloom. When I wake up, it probably will have.
This front bed has always been damp and moldy, but Mike got rid of all the lava rock and put in some new topsoil. It still holds water after a rain, but it's looking okay right now. We'll see if this red verbena is as hardy as the purple.
Mike hates the azaleas at this house because they were neglected and straggly, but they've done their best to impress this year.
I planted some zinnia seeds in the side bed by the fence. A few have their first sets of leaves. I'm just going to ignore them and see what they do.
The front door! There is a story that deserves before and after pictures, but I don't have time to look through all my pictures and find an old one. This door has been an eyesore for years - a pretty nice door if you like the oval glass style. But the weather had almost destroyed the finish, and it was really kind of sad. We debated painting it, staining it, or just getting a new door. Several times during the process, I looked longingly at new doors in Home Depot. But the wait was worth it and the mess was worth it, although it offended Mama every time she went out the front door.
I'll have to find out what kind of paint Mike found, but he is willing to do a commercial for them if anyone ever needs one. It's a non-drip paint that is perfect for vertical surfaces - when you don't want to take a heavy door off the hinges and put it on sawhorses on the front porch and leave the house exposed to the elements and nearly kill two people lifting it back onto the hinges. Ask us how we know this.
So yesterday was the unveiling, complete with removal of all equipment and placement of geraniums.
I think it is beautiful. Oh, new door handles and locks. I will NOT be invited to help with the installation of door hardware in the future.
Mama says she sees people from her window walking down the sidewalk and staring at the front porch. She sees admiration and awe. We see people who wondered what in the heck was happening for the last month out there and what the final outcome would be.
I'm typing before getting up this morning, and I'll be back with more projects and excitement about the events this week.
I'm adding this picture too. I've had this plate rack and plates in the dining room for 5 years waiting until I decided on a paint color. It may be another 5 years, so I delegated this to Mike yesterday and got it done. Catching him on an up cycle is the key. Have I mentioned that we're getting a new patio in May? Been waiting a long time for that too, and we'll have before, during, and after pictures of that.
So here's the plate rack that I bought in Meridian but don't remember hanging in Greensboro or Columbus. I may have but don't remember doing it.
Can't go with a picture of Graysen. Giggling with excitement at coming to Alabama day after tomorrow.
Here's the guest room ready for the arrival of her majesty and parents. Thanks to sweet friends, Nick and Amanda, we have her sleeping and feeding arrangements taken care of. I had the swing already (and a stroller), and we ordered the changing pad (which she also likes to sleep in) and the car seat base. Not to mention lots of diapers, wipes, and, of course, toys and new clothes. I hope it's warm enough to swim since she has 2 swimsuits, but it's pretty chilly this morning.
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