What's on your coffee table?

I can’t resist a bit of amateur psychology…here are the 3 magazines on my coffee table (and, yes, I have subscriptions to all 3) ...Southern Living, Victoria and Garden & Gun.

So what do you think it says about me or my family?

More sightings of Spring...

I was out doing errands and saw a few more signs of Spring...

Spring teasing...

Aren't their faces, sweet?

Just look at these lovelies and you will know what I mean and why I am wishing Spring here. I know my dear friends from points north will just shake their heads at me but I can’t wait. These “affadils” (as my DD called them for years) are really gorgeous this year. I think this is their 3rd spring and it shows in how many more blooms they have shared.

Last year my normal urge to toil in the soil just wasn’t what it usually is. I don’t know, maybe I had an off year, maybe it was the drought that put a damper (ha-ha) on my gardening…I just don’t know. But this year, it was barely New Years when I started mulling over seed catalogs and pondering plantings. So, these sweet little yellow blooms have just kicked up my urge to head out to the garden center for some color. I will fight that strong pull, though, because so often winter returns with a vengeance to steal away the buds and blooms of spring (like last year when it came in one night and completely wiped out all my azalea blooms!).

I have several perennials that will be in their 2nd season with me and I am looking forward to seeing the rewards of my work. Spring fever also has me planning some trips to visit other gardens and indulge my love of gardening such as a picnic to the Botanical Garden at Clemson University (http://www.clemson.edu/scbg/ , the Botanical Garden in Athens, GA (http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/ ), the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (http://www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/home.do ) and of course, I will most definitely have to have a leisurely visit at one of my all time favorites…Callaway Gardens (http://www.callawaygardens.com/ ) when the Azaleas are high form.

Anyone else having a bit of Spring Fever?

Drought....

This past weekend DD and DS#2 and I decided to walk around the lake a bit. I realize that doesn’t sound very interesting but to those of you outside of North GA ,you might be interested in knowing we literally walked around “IN” the lake. If you haven’t heard... North GA is in a severe drought and has been for the last year or so. Lake Lanier and others lakes in the region are practically unrecognizable. Though, loved by boaters and fisherman alike, most of the boat ramps are closed and it is dangerously low. Here is a link http://www.conservewatergeorgia.net/Documents/georgia_drought.html if you are interested is learning more.

Normally, the water line is up to those trees and makes it an island.
Yes, that is a boating buoying (is that how you spell that?) to let boaters know of more shallow waters...in a full lake you wouldn't see the bottom half or the pole! Now, if that isn't context I don't know what is.
DD & DS#2

BTW, the clams are dying in our lake!

What Gall!

This past week has been pretty eventful and then not eventful…what? You ask? Well, on Wednesday I went in for surgery to have my gallbladder removed. As you can imagine the rush to get everything done that needed to be done before made the beginning of the week a crazy few days…but after, it has been kinda nice and quiet!

The surgery went fine (apparently, though my gallbladder was “packed” full of gallstones…that according to the surgeon…I guess that would be a technical term?). It was done as outpatient surgery (thank the Good Lord!) and I was home that evening. So, now you see why I haven’t had anything delightful to write about this week! Maybe next week will be better.

More snow photos...

Sadly, our snow never amounted to quite what was forcast but the children had some fun playing in the tiny bit that did arrive.

They had to seek out the "best" places to attempt some sledding.

At least there was enough for some sneak attack snow ball throwing!

It is snowing in North Georgia!

Yep...it is snowing (for the 2nd time this week!).

When we lived in Upstate NY this wouldn't have qualified as a snow but since we have yet to see any real snow in the 4 years since being back in GA this is a pretty big deal! Also, this is the 1st real snow for our lab Dixie Belle - she loves it! DD was tossing snow balls in the air and Dixie Belle had a great time "catching" them. Oh, and DD says her Wellies were wonderful out in the snow and so fashionable!

I will take more photos later in the afternoon when the boys are out and about so you can see our tiny bit of winter in the south.