Garden Blooms

I took a few pictures around the front yard of the blooming Rhododendrons (I think that's what these are, yes?) the other day, before all this rain started to fall. The yard is just awash in pink because it's everywhere, and I love it! 

These and the birch trees just make me so happy :)

Look! Tulips!

Another hyacinth! I didn't see this one till it was starting to fade because it's on the other side of the front yard, and I can barely see it amongst all the daffodils.

Speaking of daffodils... sigh :)

Driving up to or past the house always brings a smile to my face.

I'm not much of a gardening type, but I'm always amazed at how plants just pop back up after a long, difficult winter to greet you with cheeriness. Can't wait to see what else we have in store!

Spring Has Sprung

One of my biggest thrills about a new house is finding out what's in store for us when Spring comes around. These flowers just popped up and every time I drive home, there's more yellowy gorgeousness greeting me. There's more on the other side of the front of the house, and it's all looking so beautiful :)

I didn't even see the hyacinth until I went to take pictures! That's how much I go walking outside lol! I LOVE them!! I hope there's more hyacinth to come because they smell so lovely.

Also, I can't say / think of hyacinth without thinking of the show Keeping Up Appearances. Anyone? Anyone?

Pretty, pretty, pretty :) What's blooming in your garden?

Home Sweet Home

We're finally home! It's so bittersweet... I had an amazing time with my family and I was so sad to leave. I hate that I live so far away from all my family and I wish I could scoop them all up and take them home with me. But it is kind of nice to be home. Oh how I missed the kitties! Matilda ran to us the second we got home but Isobel gave us a bit of stink eye before finally snuggling with me on the sofa that evening. She's a tough little girl!

So we're starting to settle back to life as we know it. Though I've been waking up at 7am every morning since. Anyone who knows me well realises that this is extremely disturbing behaviour. I figure while I don't have kids, I should sleep while I can, right? But it's nice to get loads of things done in the day... although I'm a night owl by nature, and I seem to fade around the time I'm usually sewing away. We're going to have to do sort this out!

Anyhow, it was so nice to see that spring had sprung while we were away (though all this sun has given my chest and arms a beautiful rash... it's probably eczema). The tulips have held on till we got home... I thought I was going to miss them!! :)

The forsythia have kind of faded but there's still some yellow flowers on there :)

And this stupid rooster. It was there when we moved in and for some odd reason, I never removed it. Now that we're looking to move, I'll just leave it there to scare the new owners hehe!

There'll be pictures of our trip to come... I just had to take these pictures first because it's probably going to be the last spring we'll spend in this house.

Last Sunday

We spent Sunday in Northampton, and this time with my MIL. We hadn't hung out with her just the three of us for ages, so I'm glad we did :) We had Mexican for lunch, found a new bubble tea place and did a lot of walking around. The hubs pretty much went off into every bookshop there was, and I shopped with my MIL... So everyone was happy :)

By the way, that's the hubs and his mum in the background of the pansy picture. It's the only way I can take a picture of the woman. She always pulls some Matrix shit whenever there's a camera around so it's almost impossible to take a picture of her not scowling. My mum's kind of the same way, as am I... which is probably why I'm the photographer :)

And to make a great day even better, I came home to find the tulips blooming!!! How pretty are they! I never tire of how gorgeous these ones are by my mailbox. I LOVE tulips :)

A Shock Of Yellow

I looked outside my backdoor the other day and was greeted by the forsythia shrubs that have exploded in beautiful yellow! Every year I manage to forget they exist, so every year it's a great surprise. The temperature's supposed to take a serious dip tomorrow so fingers crossed these guys still stick around.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend :)

Spring Is On Its Way!

Look what I spied in the front yard yesterday afternoon! Plants! Sprouting! Almost makes up for the hour of 'lost' sleep this past weekend. I'm still upset about it. Obviously.

Speaking of spring, I made a quilt with spring colours... bright yellows, greens, pinks and blues. 

It's the Chopsticks pattern by Julie, and I'll be teaching it next month at my work. I'm very pleased with how it turned out and I can't stress enough what a great pattern it is. Julie did a brilliant job of writing it, and it was fun to do something different with my 60 degree ruler. The quilt's with my boss / long armer, Laura right now so I'll show you when it's all done! :)

I Can Has Tulips

I may have let out a shriek when I peeped out the window this morning and saw the tulips by my mailbox had bloomed.

But can you blame me though? They're just so beautiful!

Just beautiful.

And by the giant rock on the side of the front lawn stands a lone tulip. Sort of looks like a heart, no? Befitting today's royal wedding perhaps?

And in the backyard, another lonely tulip.

There was another but it decided to take a lie-down.

Ahhh so pretty... See you girls again next spring :)

What's Going On Today At Chez Bleu

A few days ago, my darling friend Margie told me to be on the look out for a parcel. She tells me this because she knows the wait will kill me and takes way too much joy in causing me grief.

The parcel arrived yesterday, and she got me this gorgeous necklace! I do love me some red :)

And these whisks. With the squirrels. How. Flippin. Cute. How am I expected to use them? I'd be too afraid to drown my new furry friends. (I clearly have a problem with anthropomorphism.)

Thanks Margie! I love my gifts! :) You're the besterest ever!

I checked on the progress of my beloved peonies... they're budding! Hee! I can't wait :)

Please ignore the disgusting state of affairs that is the underside of our deck. I'm sure many things live under there. Gross.

The lilacs are blooming though! So pretty. And they smell lovely too.

And that was quite enough sun and nature for me. My arm itches. And how'd it get up to 79F??? I don't like this. Don't like it at all. Back to my safe place where I can make a mess and fondle fabric.

See, I still use Gretel. Hedwig's hanging back going "Yeah when you're done messing around and have something to quilt, give me a call. Until then, I'm outie 5000."

Walk In The Woods

Well, in my yard anyway. I don't really go outdoors much (I got a bug bite while I was out there so I'm staying indoors for the foreseeable future) but I saw all the pops of colours and had to go look.

I know they're weeds, but they're so cheery!

The tulips beside the mailbox are starting to bloom. Love that shade of red :)

And one lonely pink one has bloomed in the little garden I plant annuals in.

Proof that I was in the sun. I'm good for at least a month now.

I snapped this picture, heard the stupid wild turkeys gob-gob-gobbling, and ran into the house as quickly as my little legs would take me. And I'm pretty sure I saw something move on the other side of the yard.

Adventures Of A Nugget

We took a little day trip to Ikea today, and stopped at a few places on the way. Everywhere we went, I saw dogwood trees flowering pear trees in full bloom and I took pictures of them in three different places. I'm not crazy. I swear.

In Manchester, CT...

In Wallingford, CT...

And also in Wallingford, just at a different location.

They're pretty and remind me of cotton wool, okay?

People in the cars were looking at me strangely... they must've thought I was taking pictures of the hub's bum. I kind of was, but it was unintentional!

Awesome CD and record store, Red Scroll Records. We're going back next Saturday when it's National Record Store Day.

And we visited a store that sells restaurant equipment... and I tried to eat an ice cream cone that was as big as I am. And it was downhill from there.

What's everyone up to this weekend? Hope it's turning out as fun as ours :)

[I thought I'd add that my husband sometimes calls me 'nugget', hence the title. It's because I'm tiny, not because I remind him of poo. I hope.]