A cold rain is back after a nice warm spell, but clearly spring is here! Birds have returned to the feeders, bulbs have bloomed, and all of it got me thinking about this again. Somehow, last year, the season just slipped by and we missed the opportunity to put our plan into action. Before we knew it, the weather turned ugly and...time was up. It's not that we didn't do anything, we just tried to do too much. Lesson learned. So this time we have a new plan for the backyard garden. Maybe a little less ambitious than before, but no matter what we do, something is better than nothing and anything will be an improvement over a patch of weeds. I'm so excited about the whole thing and eager to start, but the ground is still too soggy to dig holes for fence posts, (the not-so-fun but oh-so-necessary part,) so in the meantime, I'm getting spring inspiration from a few other places while I wait it out.
First of all, this amazing applique fabric post card (top left) from Mimi Kirchner just arrived and it's singing "Spring Spring"! I love it so much. I wish you could see the detail on this, it's so perfectly done. The sweet face is painted on and she's signed it on the back. I think I'm going to frame it just to keep (my) dirty fingerprints from smudging it up because I can't help handling it. It's got great tactile-feel and that's the point, but it's still art and such a nice little piece at that, so under glass it will go. Mimi also makes some of the MOST beautiful dolls I've ever seen in my life and sells some of her things here and here. Take a peek, if you dare. (Um, maybe a warning is in order: entering adorable doll zone; possible point of no return.) Ok, you can go now, but don't say I didn't warn ya.
Oh my....did I say, adorable dolls? Well, that reminds me of another artist that makes me all happy and giggly, who keeps amazing me year after year with the most delightful garden creatures and statuary; most recently, "Sweet Pea Pixie", holding a smiling ladybug, no less. ACK! Way. Too. Cute. And so is this one. Actually... all of these! I want to sprinkle them all over my garden. Now I ask you, what better incentive is there to dig in the mud and pull weeds, when you can bend down and see this little face peering up at you?
(click on the pixie to see it up close.)
