A Bit of Spring in my Farmhouse Kitchen!

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Hi, the calendar says it's SPRING, but here in Chicagoland and in our home, she is totally dragging her feet.

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Spring isn't just for bunnies.

Christmas Pig (that's her name) is much like the infamous sow in the "Outlander" books by Diana Galbadon. So many piglets have been born this Spring. (The piglets are corn cob holders, fronts and back ends, LOL) ..they seem to move around in their little nest in my antique coffee grinder. 

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I was sick of Winter RED along with Winter, so I have switched almost everything to blue. 

Normally I force some forsythia, but I think our bushes got badly nipped with 

the early FREEZE we had last Fall, so I am using faux pansies on the table instead.

Momma Pig is pretty attentive...after years of being washed with a wet, kitchen cloth, she needs a new coat of paint, but her piglets are fresh and pink!

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Locked in the house, I have slowly been doing some Spring cleaning---and I oiled the island counter. We do this on the butcher block island maybe four times in a year, because this surface gets more use than any of the others.

 I found the vintage blue vase at a thrift store, and it is filled with faux Forsythia and some small Iris. Perfect for Spring. The potholder was stitched by my friend Dorothy and is perfect background for wooden spoons.

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Normally I have a runner here, but with the fresh oil, I'm waiting a week or two for the oil to totally sink in.  The Danish enameled sauce server holds some very vintage beaded flowers. The crock is very old, and holds our napkins. 

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The sweet teapot and two stoneware mugs, were from my mom-in-law. The trivet is very old, pansies and probably German porcelain. 

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I calmed down the colors in our corner cabinet and brought in some birds. This cabinet is awaiting some Spring touches, when I can find them. (Next Post)

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The platter in the middle is titled "Tulip Time", I added my last two tulip plates from Crate and Barrel, years ago, and my Grandmother's antique Dutch salt and pepper and a sweet Dutch Maid bell.  

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I cleaned the corner cabinet and did find the Spring banner. With shutdown, no one will be coming for Easter....sigh.

The plants are growing great. Transplanted most of the tomatoes. 

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The broccoli is going to the greenhouse today. We are maintaining 50 degrees out there, so it will be happier than the dry warm kitchen.

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Like many Grandparents we miss our Grandgirl, our kids...and the family gatherings. 

Thank goodness for the phone, photos, videos and the love 

that pours from that normally annoying device!

I decorated the fridge from Spring items from last year, and an old SPRING photo! 

NEXT POST 

the BASEMENT PROJECT, and in search of Spring Decor!!!

Thank you for any and all comments.

Finally I am able to reply to comments by using Chrome. So all you Mac users who have upgraded to Catalina---this might help the glitches on Safari  and Blogger!

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Sandi 

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Midwest Gardening 2019-The UGLY TRUTH

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When I started this Midwest Gardening Series on my blog---I planned be honest on trying to garden GREEN here in Chicagoland and pretty much what OLDer people can do. 

We don't have an infinite bank account, we are in our 70's, 

and we are pretty down-to-earth Midwest practical.

So, in this spirit, here is the Ugly Truth!

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Snow is always so pretty, but Chicagoland's heavy wet snow, ice, wind can be lethal combinations. 

This was in October????. 

We had at least 4 batches of totally ice rainfalls followed by snow last season.

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Our bared cedar birdhouse branches broke---we lost three branches and some of the houses fell off from the weight of the wet snow and ice storms we had. We are taking it down now.

Chicagoland didn't have a severe winter---temperature wise, but more of a rollercoaster ride with wildly fluctuating temperatures, like 70's to 20's in two days-more than once.

We always mound leaves on the flower beds for insulation and then rake off and compost--a GREEN thing to do. I can't tell you how many single bees flew out of the leaves when I finally removed them late this spring.

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Some bushes that seemed to thrive were these lemon barberry bushes. They are thorny and great 'security bushes' for under windows. They are super full this Spring and need of a real trim.

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I was really worried about my clematis--but they just seemed to survive (about half the size) but this one is very sheltered. 

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This is a forsythia bush we have to trim at least three times last year,---it's basically dead back to the bottom. At least the new growth is bringing it back.

I wrote before of the 3 huge carts full of debris hauled away from the trees and ice damage. It's not until now--that we see how bad the frost/ice damaged is on our bushes. 

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Here is another long established forsythia, that will need a major cutback. About 1/3 is lost, the backside is worse. I'm waiting until some decent growth shows before removing all the dead. 

This is a key bush in front of our house. I really missed the flowering this spring---but I think it was just trying to survive.

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Out on the mound by the street is our Tree Rose of Sharon which are basically indestructible

---OMG---it's horrid and trimming will be heavy.

Amazing that crap trees and bushes like mulberry and Japanes elms---survive anything.

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We lost 4 mature (10+years) previously very happy Boxwoods.

 I love using their green waxy leaves in arrangements. Early in Spring I read an article that said heavily fertilize, be patient and wait for new growth before trimming. Still waiting.

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 Only new is that small branch is down lower right.

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Most obvious is the damage to our deck,

 which has had new coating every other year---it's awful now. 

This area has shade and snow/ice lingers a long time. 

We plan on a totally REDO with composite next year or when the budget allows. 

This pot needs a REDO. I didn't get it put away last Fall-because it was frozen in an inch of ice to the deck in October.

RIP our Perrenials deceased in 2018

3 Shasta daisies

3 mini roses

2 roses---think they are only growing off root stock, we shall see.

1-Climbing rose--looks like root stock stems only?

2-4 Black eyed Susans

2 Delphiniums-almost ready to give up on these.

80% of my Hollyhocks

Liatris

1 blueberry plant

3 Heuchera /Coral Bells

a Huge Sage plant 

1-very sick looking Peony?

All these had been appropriately covered with leaves, Sigh!

I promise to revisit all plants and bushes and the areas that need attention and see how they respond. 

Hopefully in a few weeks, we are still trying to get plantings done. 

How's your winter damage showing it's ugly head? Please post your remedies...! Thanks!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

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Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 

Vintage Glimpses of Spring

Spring is so miserable in Chicagoland this year this year, I haven't done a thing, so this is last years post. Happy Spring to all of you, we are expecting significant snow and wind tonight through Friday.


Last week Spring(2016) tried to peek into Chicagoland and then out again today. Frost is expected tonight, and I had moved all my houseplants to the porch and outside. Sigh!

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I have a sore hand, so very little comments here. But, I had purged, cleaned, and emptied the house---last week and simplified to 'Welcome Spring'.

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Nesting birds- a theme here. German paste salt pepper birds on nest, unmarked.

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Danish stitching and cutwork on finest linen circa 1930-40s. For the painters out there, I think this is done the same way you paint a rose.

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Pensive bird...this Royal Copenhagen bird  is missing it's 'tail up'---partner (a victim of boys' sock war!)

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Royal Copenhagen porcelain plate,  porcelain unmarked duck.

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Brass grater--early 1800's from the hallmark on back, Denmark. American tureen 1970's.

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Japan porcelain salt/pepper bird, rosemary, and eggs.

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Danish porcelain, Mama and babies, my favorite.

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It is hard to catch the depth of these built-up floss roses.

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Table in the front window. Harry and Harriet have wandered here before they go outside.

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I want to plant some Baby Tears and small violets in their baskets.

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Circle Ivy topiary will get a blooming plant and be put outside, soon I hope.

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 Don't you love when your husband thinks a ladder on the wall is a decorating statement. LOL

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The rubber tree has doubled in size this winter, amazing what transplanting does for a house plant.

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A few Tulips and one Hydrangea blossom. Love the lime green---so springy

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Another nest and earthenware Copeland bird.

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Bunnies in kitchen on woven cotton with roses and tatted lace---all hand done by my Great-Aunts in Denmark.

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Cut work on the softest cotton cloth and I don't iron.

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Tatted or crochet lace, so many stitches in finest cotton.

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The white cabinet in the kitchen. Pig is back to his old ways...looking for truffles now that all the Easter candy has disappeared. Basil set in crocks waiting to be planted outside.

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Three tea roses in the antique enameled fish poacher, waiting to be planted outside...brrrrrr, not today.

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Last week on the porch---the plants moved outside.

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Real Ivy topiary, here on my DIY topiary post. with faux forsythia added.

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Plea to Mother Nature, Still Waiting, sigh.

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Last week in desperation, I went faux forsythia and tulips in Granny's emaled coffee pot on the porch.

Pictures from today with a frost advisory---as Spring tried to begin.

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 Forsythia, Barberry, tulips and the perrenials.

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Have you ever seen tulips wrapped tighter?

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 Periwinkle groundcover and tulips trying to grow.

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My Pansy flat, waiting to be planted, instead, I'm going outside to put plastic bags on everything.

Sigh...someday it will be SPRING in Chicagoland?


Thanks for stopping by, commenting or questions always welcomed.

 All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own or I am in possesion of the originals, 

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or products used. 

Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

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