Sometimes it's difficult to remember....

That this, the front bed...
(all "first" photos show how the yard looks now)

becomes this!

Or, that this, the terrace wall bed,...

becomes this... .

That the hydrangeas at the entrance, go from this...

to this... .

The courtyard...

turns into this!

And the living room bed...

transforms into this... .

Or, that the stone bed (which hides the large box for the underground utilities and the electric meter), just up the drive from our stone beehives at our entrance...

will look like this... .

And, that the single stone bed...

will be filled with hostas.

That our old, dug well head (which we use for irrigation)....

will morph into this!

And, that the cutting garden...

will be filled with herbs, vegetables and tomatoes!

(Photo was taken at the end of last summer when our painter was here for his annual three-week vi$it;)

One of the first big projects for the season will be to build a fence around the garden.  You can see the granite posts lying next to the raised beds which will serve as the corners posts and as the posts for the iron gate.  Between the posts will be a wooden picket fence, painted black, on which I will plant a purple clematis (that's the plan for now anyway;)!

 So, even though it's difficult to remember right now... .I have hope!

 Happy spring and happy gardening to you!

I was expecting the Easter bunny, not this....

a BEAR in our back meadow!

Around noon today as I was headed outside to do some yardwork, I looked out the master bedroom french doors and saw this...

At first I thought it was a large dog, but immediately realized it was way too big for a dog.

It was a black bear and he was having lunch in the meadow!

I've heard tell of a bear in our area, but have never laid eyes on him until today.  Dan saw him once, about a year ago, as the bear ran across the road in front of Dan's car as he was driving up the hill from our village.

And then, he must have gotten wind of me as he stood up and looked around!  It was one of the most majestic things I have ever seen.

Ella and I viewed him from the safety of the upstairs porch (Dan was away on a trip.)

As he turned around to leave, Ella barked at him (it was a rather quiet bark as I think she really wanted to play with him;) and he turned to look at her.

I did go out in the yard to do my yardwork, but my head was on a swivel looking out for Mr. Bear in case he wanted a meet and greet;)

Tonight this is what was in the meadow instead.... a porcupine!  This is much more the norm.

Hope the Easter bunny (and not a BEAR;)  finds his way to you!  

Post Script:
After reading several comments of concern and getting a phone call from my VERY UPSET "much older sister Susan", I realized I didn't make it clear that the bear stood up because it probably smelled me, but couldn't see me (the meadow slopes downhill quite dramatically where he was standing).  The second he saw me he quickly turned and scampered into the woods.   I would never have ventured out into the yard if he had stayed.  I was working up close to the house and he had been far down in the meadow.  We were avid bird feeders when we lived in Dallas; but here we have never fed the birds for this very reason.  I have many neighbors who do feed the birds and the feeders are close to their houses and the bears come up at night to eat the seed, which I find scary.   We do not store any garbage outside.  I think both these things attribute to why, in six years, this is the first time we've seen a bear on the property.
I have the utmost reverence towards bears.  A teddy bear is "cute", but a real bear is a strong, powerful and dangerous animal.  For those concerned about sweet Ella, she is never one to chase another animal (unless it's one of her puppy friends;) and she doesn't like to hang outside by herself during the day, and at night we always watch her when she goes outside. 
But I do thank you for your concern, and Susan... stop worrying! ;)

 For more wildlife stories around the farmhouse see HERE and HERE !

Craving green...

It was a very long and cold winter.  

Spring is just beginning to show her pretty face.  We had snow on the ground for a good five months in a row. So, I think you'll understand when I tell you that I am craving green... anything green!  We are currently in the period affectionately known as "mud season."  This is the period where the snow has melted, but the trees have yet to leaf out and the ground is still soft and mushy and there is mud everywhere.  While out driving this past weekend I saw many roads with a sign nailed at their entrance: 

"MUD.  Travel at your own risk!" 

Thankfully, we eliminated the mud around the house by putting in the gravel drive several years ago, but walking in the meadows is like walking on a sponge.  Let's just say this is not New England's prettiest time of year ;)

During this period, which lasts about a month, green becomes a color I literally crave!  I'm reading through garden notes from the last several years and planning the season's first projects all while planting containers in my mind!  The only flowers at the garden stores right now are pansies, which I know sounds odd to you southern peeps who plant them in the fall. So until the leaves have popped on the trees and new growth has shot up from the ground I surround myself with varying shades of green in the kitchen.

 You might remember last year at this same time I added a green chevron pattern skirt under the sink for spring.  Once green can be seen out the window I want my linen skirt back in place, but for now the skirt brightens the landscape and reminds me that spring is right around the corner, and just makes me happy! 

Yesterday was in the 70's, but today is chilly and raining, so we had a fire for lunch.  And tonight we're expecting a freeze- welcome to spring in New England!

Vintage and antique Chinese ginger jars in varying shades of green line the kitchen mantel. (Lets just say they are but a few of a larger collection!)

Watermelon and green apples on an antique French white ironstone fish platter (you might remember, this is the platter I hand-carried all over France;)

This is the very first sign of spring in the yard- the white lilacs at the corner of the reading room in

  the courtyard.  

I almost caused myself  a whiplash injury yesterday when I first saw the tiny green leaves out the corner of my eye!  They've doubled in size in just one day.

Today it seemed like the grass was literally greening up by the minute with all the rain we are having.  I'm so ready to see leaves on the trees again.  I adore living with four distinct seasons, and I know it will be gorgeous when it gets here, but this year it has felt like spring might never arrive!  

This photo is my visual of " hope!"

Wishing you a happy spring (or fall for my Aussie friends;)