Who Doesn't Adore...

..early springtime? Nicky certainly does. He gets to hang outside all day long while Mom putters around in the garden.. and even help out a little. While the rest of the country is enjoying temperatures in the 70's and 80's, we are still verrry cool and rainy here in the San Francisco bay area, so a day of sunshine is a treasure and draws me outside, abandoning all other work and projects to the garden for a few blissful hours.  I have a feeling all my clients are doing the same thing :)

hmmmm... what's this?..... a whole bag full of DIRT?  Yesssss!

Nicky and I take a break from garden chores and go for a walk

to get early springtime inspiration....first time I've worn 

sandals in a long time!

I love the early spring colors at this English cottage.. pink dogwoods,
pale green ivy and tulips of all colors, and that red maple 

really beautiful creamy camellias 

close up of the rhododendrons at the cape cod

every year Bob's fence looks like this.. stunning! I think
this is a large trumpet vine

one of my favorite homes in the neighborhood, this 1905 large craftsman
"lake house" was recently painted from dark brown overall  to
this stunning combination of mossy green with cream trim; I love
seeing the shapes of the white oaks now before leaves cover all
the branches completely

stunning peak through the rhododendrons at the cape cod on the corner

I adore this house on our walk... the ivy wall is just that color of early spring growth.. pale yellow green that later will turn to darker blue green in the summer

flowers from our garden ready for our
springtime dinner party guests

close up of our lovely wisteria

I love how the wisteria blooms before the leaves are even
out on our huge white oak trees in early spring

Nicky is also wondering what's up with our naval orange tree? doesn't look so good.. the arborist just stopped by to say we are watering it waaaay too much and not to water again until late summer... and don't plant the annuals under the tree this year... bare dirt, oh well!

back now to "le potager" * ..fennel, artichokes, lemongrass, basil, scallions, blueberries, tomatoes, spinach, arugula, lettuce, chocolate and regular peppermint, a host of herbs and a strawberry pot! I have become slightly obsessed with gardening this spring, although I have little experience except puttering around and trying things out..  it's looking good for this early in the season, non?

*  "le potager" :

a vegetable garden, grown

to feed the family (or the entire

court of Versailles!), le potager

is a smart idea in these times

of "crise" (financial downturn)

who would not want to have "un aperitif" sitting
next to this delightful potager in France?

kitchen potager for le Chateau du Rivau, Loire Valley

I adore these whimsical watercolors of vegetables and
their flowering forms from
"Dialogue avec le potager"

***

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thanks for visiting...  Kit