{out my new kitchen window}

 We didn't really have winter this year.  It was cold and there were a few blusters, but snowfall?  Two, maybe three times.  That being said, I am not giving winter permission to stop by at any old time.  There are weather formalities that you must follow even if you decided to not show up on time.  The next performance has started.  Sorry.  Door is closed.  But this morning I forgave winter, and welcomed it {day visit only}, because it was so beautiful against a blue, blue sky.

{Courage And On To The Victory}

This morning I woke up and it was grey.  {Yes, I do prefer the British spelling}.  You see, it's been in the heavenly sixties this week and in my mind Saturday would include Planting.  Potting.  Pruning. Etc.  In the new yard.  {New Yard!} Apparently we are being threatened with snow instead.

I saw this wall, and consequently the house and garden belonging to it, on a garden tour a few years ago.  It was the first time I saw a black dahlia.  They also had a hybrid of a lime, lemon, and orange tree.  {In a pot of course}. Beautiful pieces of property.  The question is: Would you plant up all red?  Or would you to two or perhaps three different colors?  This morning I might go for a deep red, bright red, bright melon if I were sticking with geraniums.  Though, the uniformity is rather charming.

It snowed the first three days of March.  Today it was 60 degrees.  Perfect.  This picture was taken at the end of May 2010.  How about a spring with no more snow?  Who's with me?

Last week I was working with a customer {client? really cool person!} on some envelopes that will be beautiful!  Among the e-mailing back and forth of what fabrics we had found this little number got tossed around.  And I really loved it!

 

 Free Spirit fabric - Crazy Love Found here.

You can understand my consternation when all this color is what I am craving and I woke up to snow on the ground. Is it just me, or does February always get a bit grumpy near the end, delivering snow you really don't want anymore?  The gardener inside of me who has been thinking of dahlias is going to have to slow down and be content with dreaming of tulips for a few more months.  

'THE WAIT'

The wait from this...

...to this...

...gets very long in February.  So close, yet so far away.  Every gardener has tucked in for the winter, enjoyed the merriment and festivities of the holiday, settled into the cold, and then looked forward to spring, only to be tortured by perpetual frost and a desire for flowers.  

The other day I saw some primroses blooming.  Dare I say we are on our way?  

Found the Painting posted Here

The day after Valentine's can be pretty wonderful too... Don't you just love the flowers on her gown?

WAITING

Waiting for spring.

JARDIN BOTANICO

Jardin, Botanico ~ Rio de Janeiro ~ Brasil 

It is wonderful to realize we are made up of our experiences, interactions, thoughts, and surroundings.  I will always have a special place for Rio.  I lived there for a year and a half, and have since visited twice. The small detail of the city is what usually brings me the most joy.  Don't you want a wall like this in your garden?  Yes.  Yes!