March Madness

My Christmas/Valentine tree is now, on March 1st,
a Looking-Forward-to-Spring Tree!  
🪻🪻🪻

Festive Valentine

 ❤️Keeping a Christmas tree up until Valentine's Day is a popular, festive trend that extends the cozy, warm glow of the holidays through winter, often by transitioning it into a "Valentine's tree". People swap traditional ornaments for pink and red ribbons, hearts, and florals, turning the tree into a seasonal decor piece rather than just a holiday leftover.❤️

Tristan soaks up the winter sun - dreaming of spring, I'm sure.

Goodbye 2025!

Cubby amid the festive scene,
waiting for a snack❤️

 

Beautiful Celtic music on the telly for New Year's Eve!

Majestic Amaryllis Orange Souvereign.

Giant Amadeus!
********

Wishing everyone a pleasant year's end,
and a good start to 2026,
good health above all.
Without that, there is nothing.
❤️
🥂

 

A Magical Touch

 

This Amaryllis, Magical Touch, bloomed in the box, in the store, without soil or water, then broke off - all were buds, but when finally home, and placed in water, all the buds opened.
Amaryllis are awesome!
I bought many bulbs, all different varieties (4 of Gervase which is an all time favourite) - maybe too many! (Is there such a thing?) But I really need them to get me through the winter, especially since I have now retired, and need these beauties to stave off the blues. 
I have tried to keep them going over the years, but I've not had much luck - I just don't have the right conditions.
But when they do survive, an emerging scape out of the blue is always a wonderful surprise.

Retired November 1, 2025 - A Bittersweet Event - 44 Years

 

What a Difference a Year Makes

 

"Mama's gone where???
Oh no!"

Yes, indeed.
After many years of ignoring certain symptoms, I landed up in the hospital in April (for 3 weeks), with pneumonia, and various serious complications 😒
At home convalescing now, but still feel somewhat weak and wobbly.

To cheer me up, a dear friend made some gorgeous potted arrangements for me to brighten my green jungle landscape.
In recent years the garden has suffered significant negligence, due to my health issues.
The result: lots of weeds and unwanted "spread".
This colourful gift was badly needed!

The current Fur-family. 
Tristan has seniority, at circa 15 years.
We don't know his real age as all my babies are rescues.
💖

Speaking of little gems...

 

Spotted suddenly in my garden just now, 

the delicate and pretty wild violet. 

Stopped me in my tracks and I just stared. 

Anyone who has seen the delightful movie Greenfingers with Clive Owen and Helen Mirren, will know the specific reference here. 

Do see it.

🌼

Awaiting Spring

I recently came across this little gem at home - you know, the way things seem to randomly "surface" in the routine activities of cleaning, sorting, tidying. Like an archaeological dig. It is a little booklet, around 2 x 3 inches, obviously meant for a toddler. Small book for small hands.  My mother gave it to me when we were still in England in 1965, two years before we crossed the ocean to Canada. I was 6 years old. I wish I had taken better care of it, and certainly a scan was in order for preservation's sake. 

This wee little jewel no doubt "germinated" my love of plants and flowers....over the years. 

 Happy Spring!🍀

 

Ginja wonders why he's getting sleepy!😉

Tristan supervising the lighting of the candles.

Elvie illuminated by candlelight.

My last desk top at work? Perhaps...

Lily and company!
She just loves the new basket,
prime real estate these days.
Must get another.
🎄

Zena - RIP November 22, 2023

Our dear Zena rallied for almost a whole year after her stroke last November.

Alas, she never showed an interest to go outside again, and yet her quality of life was not so bad.

But, in recent weeks, she was showing the signs we all know, when this decision is coming near.

RIP sweet Zena.

💗