Spring Fireworks

What a difference a day makes. The sun and high temperatures have forced the grey fur of the pussy willows to open at an accelerated pace. Their spikey blossoms with yellow tips remind me of exploding fireworks. Just like the pussy willows, spring seems to have flashed forward to summer overnight.

Pussy Willows

The pussy willows are blooming once again, one of the signs of spring from my childhood where they grew wild in a field across from my school. I would pick a bunch and bring them home to welcome in the season. When my husband and I bought our house I planted a pussy willow, nothing more than a twig at the time, because I thought it would be nice to have one for the children we would have one day. The wild pussy willows of my youth were mere shrubs , the one I planted in our garden quickly grew taller than the roof of our house. It takes constant pruning to keep it under control.

"S" Stands for Syrup

Maybe the "S" stands for Simply Biscotti, the cute tiny cafe and bakery where I sipped on this hot chocolate. The "S" in question is chocolate syrup that was squirted onto milk foam, unlike the designs that I posted about on September 17, 2009 which were created using a technique that involved pouring foamy milk into espresso. Chocolate syrup is quick but effective!

Petal Perfection

Sifting through last year's photos I was reminded of this exquisite tulip photographed at Ottawa's Tulip Festival. Wish I could remember its name. Just look at the gentle softness of these petals, with pink touches that look like they were painted on a creamy canvas in delicate brush strokes.

Spring Bouquet

This delectable spring bouquet was one I put togther and photographed last year. As I wait for spring's warm weather to come and coax out the tulips in the garden, all I can do for now is look at photos of last year's blooms. Spring will come, the tulips will appear and pretty colour combinations will again be possible to be gathered into pretty bunches.

Cosy as a Nest

Yesterday I wrote about the Robin's Nest Tea Room, located in the charming town of Almonte, Ontario. The decor is just lovely, very cosy and serene ... and a perfect setting in which to celebrate spring and the upcoming Easter season.

Life Imitating Art

I love the juxtaposition of the art with the actual furniture and flower arangement. I am positive that this was not by accident, but by design. And where did I find this? Of all places, it was in the Robin's Nest Tea Room's washroom.

Happy 1st Anniversary

It hardly seems possible that I wrote my first blog entry a year ago. And yet here I am celebrating one year today. Hurray! A big thanks to all of you who have visited and continue to visit. To help me celebrate this coming week, would you please do me a wee favour? Would you leave me a comment when you visit? I can't think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than to know that you're here with me! Thanks so much... please help yourself to a cupcake.

Rain Boots

My poor old rain boots had holes worn in the soles. High time I found a new pair, before the spring rains begin. So imagine my delight when I found this pair with the fun-loving polka dots and the shocking pink lining. They should add a little cheer to those rainy April days to come!

Snowdrops, Then Crocus

Crocus are in bloom in our front yard, which is exactly as it should be. Snowdrops are the first to appear, quickly followed by crocus. And March is the usual month for them to make their first appearance. It always seems like an early start, but then it's such a long time before the rest of the plants start to bloom.

Colour Matching

This is another bowl that I love. But what colour would you say is the swirl at the bottom? It reminds me of a bird's egg I found. But how accurate is my colour memory? Time to put myself to the test. Sure enough, comparing the two shows a perfect match. Too bad my colour sense doesn't always hold up when I'm selecting paint colours for my walls.

Favourite Colours

When anyone asks me what my favourite colour is, I think to myself how can I possibly just pick one? But these beads come pretty close. I bought one of each just because I was so attracted to their colour.... and because they look so great in this equally beautiful bowl.

Sea Anemone at Centre

I first posted about a beautiful bunch of gerbera blooms on February 26th. The bloom pictured here is one of the same bunch, still going strong all this time later. I was giving it a close look at breakfast and its centre astounded me. It reminds me of a sea anemone and is definitely worth a close-up shot.

Lemon Tarts

Lemon tarts are one of my favourites, and when they're made with homemade lemon curd, what could be better. Lemon, sugar, eggs and butter, the purest of ingredients, makes a delectable filling paired with flaky pastry. Such a lovely shade of bright yellow, just like sunshine. They are a perfect and delicious spring dessert.

Wee Tips

Coming home today I noticed these snowdrops and some wee tips of other spring flowers coming up in the garden, which certainly added a little cheer to my day. First signs of spring. A cause for optimism. The snowdrops look like miniature lanterns lighting the way.

I always keep a layer of leaves on the flower beds in the fall to act as insulation during the winter, and as the snow has just melted in the last few days, the tips of these spring bulbs have been forced to pierce through the dried leaves reaching, as they do, for the sunlight. Just as we ourselves do.

The Asian Grocery #2

Besides the endless aisles of beautiful packaging, the Asian grocery has an amazing array of exotic fruits and vegetables, dazzling golden displays of fresh baked goods, and crowd gathering tanks of live seafood.

The Asian Grocery

A trip to the Asian grocery is almost like going on a mini trip. I feel transported among all the fascinating and unusual food stuffs. The gorgeous packaging lining each aisle is a treat, especially at the end of a sensory-deprived winter. The dragon, hanging from the ceiling greets customers and it struck me that its colours and design were echoed in the display of stacked cans beneath it.

Hot Biscuits

What better way to start the morning than with some hot home-baked biscuits, cut in half and spread with homemade strawberry jam. To top it off, the biscuits gave me a reason to use this basket liner embroidered with the sweet words: "hot biscuits"! These liners meant to keep buns, or biscuits, warm seems to be a thing of the past. Now all that's needed is to fill the cups with freshly brewed tea.

Cosying Up to the Blues

Have you ever been drawn to something simply because of its colour? A gorgeous blend of blues and purples, this handknit shawl had to come home with me from the thrift shop where I found it. Its soft nubbly texture will offer cosy warmth to whatever it adorns.

A Walk in the Woods

A walk in the woods, the warmth of the day melts the sugar snow. Glistening fluffy wisps caught up with seeds cling despite the breeze. The sun illuminates the twisted turns of weathered branches. Bird seed poured into the crevice of a footprint by a passerby awaits feathery guests.

On Thin Ice

When I was little, I loved it when thin ice formed over the top of puddles. I loved the cracking sound it made underfoot, thin crisp sheets of glass shattering into shards. I still search out this type of ice and I still love to make it crack.