Happy Monday! It’s the third Monday of the month, which means I’m joining my blogging friends for some welcome flower therapy and Monday Morning Blooms.
You can find my flower friends’ creations at the bottom of this post.
Our theme for this week’s edition of Monday Morning Blooms was ‘spring’! I gathered some blooms for the porch, to put a little spring in my step. . .
Looking forward to longer days and the arrival of the spring / vernal equinox this Thursday, March 19th, earlier than it’s been in over a century!
A favorite watering can is blooming with grocery store flowers . . .tulips, hydrangeas and Charmelia.
The name ‘Charmelia’ means “charming beauty,” and is a new introduction to the flower market within the last few years. It has up to 20 blooms per stem and a long-lasting vase life.
I’m all aflutter over anything ‘butterfly’, a symbol of new life, appropriate for the metamorphosis and changing of the seasons.
Gardening gloves and tools (too pretty to use) add some welcome flower therapy, along with a beautiful new book, Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers, from flower farmer and floral designer, Erin Benzakein.
Our new “normal” with the coronavirus pandemic has us hunkering down and staying at home for the next couple of weeks. Schools are closed in North Carolina with a ban on gatherings of groups of more than 10 people.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed, anxious and stressed watching the 24 hour news cycle. I had to unplug and turn off the TV last week and limit myself to a once-a-day update. My hubby is working from home as much as possible and our pantry and freezer are stocked. Outings are a once a week trip to the grocery store and I’ll be online shopping going forward and taking advantage of the Express Lane pick up option.
Notes to self while under “house-arrest” :
Practice self-care. . . Sleep well, eat well, get some exercise.
Read a good book . . something inspirational, positive or beautiful.
Find a craft or project to stay busy to keep your mind or body engaged.
Dream about spring, flowers and gardening season.
We had our truckload of mulch delivered that we put out over the weekend around the Potting Shed.
I find it’s better for my mental health to focus on my tired and aching gardening muscles rather than COVID-19.
🌸🌿🏡
Lola and Sophie say never underestimate the power of a nap for your mental or physical well being. . .
Or some flower therapy :)
Details:
Wellies and garden tools / Target, a couple of years ago
‘Hello Spring’ Pillow / HomeGoods, couple of years ago
Butterfly watering can / MacKenzie-Childs
Floral gardening gloves / Amazon
Visit my talented blogging friends to see their spring blooms:
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
Pam at Everyday Living
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
Practice self-care, wash your hands, stay at home to be safe. ♥
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Metamorphosis Monday
Glad to hear you are keeping safe. It is manic here in Australia people have gone mad and are stripping the grocery shelves. No pasta tinned fruit pasta sauces soups and some meats. The worst is toilet paper and their are physical fights in the stores over it. Really stupid because it is made here in Australia and the manufacturers are working 24/7. Now they are opening the stores an hour earlier each day just so the elderly can shop safely. So stupid.
Hope you stay healthy.
These posts from each of you are so uplifting and especially at this unsettling time in our lives. The floral arrangements and words of comfort are most welcome. Prayers for all that we remain healthy~
Thankyou Mary for your beautiful spring flowers and encouraging words. My husband and I are self isolating both being over 70. Working in the garden cleaning up,planning spring plantings and even doing some new garden beds. Put in some strawberries yesterday and planted some heirloom tomato seeds inside.Great time to catch up on some inside projects as well. This includes some deep cleaning but also reading the books I have been wanting to read,bingewatching netflix,playing scrabble and working on a jigsaw puzzle and taking some lovely naps.
The birds are singing and building nests,I have a bouquet of yellow tulips from the garden on the kitchen table and there will be some loaves of Irish soda bread in the oven today. We will get through this together with faith ,love and a bit of common sense.
You and your family stay well.
Mary… it’s all so beautiful! I love it all! And spring has sprung… prayers for all to stay safe and prayers for our world.
Mary, Your porch looks so pretty and springy and of course I love your sweet pups! Thank you for sharing such uplifting posts and beautiful photos. We can all benefit from some flower therapy during these scary times. Stay safe!
Waiting, impatiently, for spring!! Thank goodness I have this to look at and dream! Thank you all!!
Good morning Mary. Your porch is a beautiful welcome to spring. The blooming wellies and watering can says spring is on its way. I am going to take this time to catch up on reading and journaling, things I love but often don’t have the time. After today, my littles will not be here for at least two weeks with schools closing. Practicing self care is important during these unusual times. If it ever stops raining, I will be practicing gardening👩🏻🌾 I love sharing Monday Morning Blooms with you♥️
Oh Mary…you are the second person (my hubby being the first) to put a smile on my face today! Your Spring porch is beautiful, fun, and a harbinger of Spring! You know how much I adore your many pretty “wellies” I cannot wait to place my “wellies planter” on the new front porch. I will have to look for Charmelia after the “pandemic” goes away. My how our lives have changed so quickly. Love that you added the butterfly watering can to the decor as butterflies have a very special meaning to me…the combination of the flowers you have chosen are stunning. Will have to check Amazon (which is my go to place these days) for those fabulous gardening gloves! Stay safe and healthy Mary and enjoy your time at home with your sweet girls and your hubby! Love sharing my favorite Mondays with my favorite floral friends!
Happy to see the mulch arrival at your home and the beauty in the flowers, Mary! Keep these posts coming, they are good medicine for us all. And when you can’t buy flowers or yours aren’t blooming, just make a withdrawal from your bank of gorgeous posts. WV still has not confirmed any cases of COVID-19 but one news report is claiming testing across state lines is inconsistent and it’s only because our state is being extremely stringent on criteria for who’s getting tested. :(
Thank you so much! So beautiful. The Garden Club of Virginia has had to cancel Historic Garden Week, and I am forlorn at not being able to arrange at my assigned house. Your beautiful arrangements have lifted my spirits. And your tender messages have helped as well. Have a peaceful two weeks.
April in Hampton VA
So beautiful, and uplifting for sure!! You have created and captured such gorgeous images that feed the soul.
Praying that we all get through this and come out the other side as better people with all the time we have to reflect and improve. My wish is for everyone to stay positive and healthy!! You have conveyed that same message with this wonderful post. ❤️
Well, I’m thankful we now have ( your) blogs!! We, too, are “somewhat sequestered” here in Central Virginia. Need to take your advice & turn off! We just saw our first bluebird & the finches are “transforming” into yellow…hope springs eternal! franki
So lighthearted and pretty, your porch is making me smile on this manic Monday! The flowers are beautiful in your MKC watering can, I love the combo and the casual arrangement is perfect with the gardening accessories. I do appreciate your uplifting words and message…keep calm and garden on!
Jenna
Looks just like my life with good books, in the garden and tons of mulch! My husband has been working from home, governor just said anyone over 65 to isolate, stores have been barren of basics for weeks, from fresh meats and produce to household staples. this is a first in my senior lifetime to see empty shelves in California… But hey, traffic is gone! I think I have always self isolated with my love of the garden, I will miss homegoods, but home is where the heart is and we are blessed with so much to enjoy around us. Thanks for a pretty start to my day, we finally broke our 6 week drought with rain and snow the next two weeks, I miss toiling all day outside, but despite the expected snow this morning my husband finished welding 3 tuteurs for the rose garden last night and I know I will be wrestling weather and thorns with gusto in the dawn’s early light!
Ps, there are scads of audios to be had if you need company, I have 34 on my phone and more arrive tonight, stock up at both sites!
So great to wake up to all this well orchestrated beauty!
Your posts always make me happy! And today they make me ecstatic and joyful! Thank you as always for the motivation, inspiration, and ideas for replication!
What a colorful Spring porch Mary! Your blooms are so welcome today as the news has been quite stressful this past week. It’s been so gloomy here. The ground is saturated with water standing in low places. Spreading mulch will certainly get your mind off the news! It’s a healthy exercise IMHO & gives you a chance to enjoy nature. Your advice is very wise. I began ordering many staple items online several years ago & just love it since you don’t have to handle the heavy items so much. I also use the grocery pick up alternative & love it. Both keeps you from impulse buying as well (don’t know if that’s a plus or not)! Stay safe and carry on (mulch). Clara ♥️
Thanks for the Monday morning color and cheer. I needed this.
Thanks for the introduction to Charmelia.
As always, your posts are timely and perfect. I appreciate what you shared about the virus and how you are handling it. America needs to hear your words. God bless you all!
Spring is here and as my mother always said when times were tough, this to shall pass. I agree with everyone that common sense is our best defense and a little sunshine won’t hurt either. Thanks for your beautiful post. It always makes my heart sing.
Mary, it’s not enough that you give us wonderful recipes and uplifting words, but you provide the most beautiful photographs also. Would you mind sharing what camera you use? Im due for a new one.
Bravo Mary! Sing out! And keep sharing your beautiful pictures which bring us all joy. Yes, unplug from the hysteria; yes, it is serious, but the more the crazy media keeps updating every second, the more it pushes people to feeling out of control and hysteria. I think of my parents and how they lived through the Great Depression and were given rationing cards. We will survive this if people don’t panic. The best advice is what you promoted: good self care, keeping your mind and body busy and I might add, it would also be helpful for people to say a few prayers. Blessings to all! ♥️
Gorgeous presentations today, Mary. I appreciate your encouragement and that we shall all profit from this self-imposed “get away”. It is lovely working outside today here in Louisiana. Take care…hug those babies for me…
Mary, what a beautiful post today for our beloved Monday Morning Blooms. We can’t help but be cheered by those lovely flowers in that watering can. I will have to look for those Charmelias after we can go back to being “out and about” as per normal again.
We are self-isolating, too, but are blessed to be home and together here at FrenchGardenHouse. This is a time to remind ourselves how blessed we are to have a home, a safe haven. Will be working in the garden here too when the rain goes away. It’s always such a joy to share our special Monday Morning Blooms with you. xo
Mary, thank you so much for this wonderful post at this difficult time. It is so hard to keep calm with the deluge of horrific news but your posts help us continue to look on the bright side.
Stay healthy.
Your flowers are very pretty Mary, thanks for the smile! It’s nice to see your mulch, gives hope that things will hopefully get back to ‘normal’ soon:@)
I’m happy for you that you can place such lovely flowers outside and in the background your grass looks like a bright Irish green because it certainly isn’t where I am. Last week was very nice, it began to feel like a real spring and this week, we’re right back to winter. It was below freezing this morning and will not get out of the 30s, 40s, and MAYBE 50s all week until Friday when we get ONE day in the 70s and then its back down to late winter temperatures. I haven’t even THOUGHT about working on the porches yet. We often get our largest snows in March if a good nor’easter blows through.
Mary, this is beautiful in every detail. I always smile when I scroll through any of your posts. Thank you for being such a bright spot in my life! Love the cute Easter cones. I starte a craft project today. Feel out of shape when it comes to doing such things anymore. I left it and went for a walk, but plan to go back and finish up. Stay healthy!
Mary your flowers are gorgeous. We too are staying in and shopping on line. Our Forsythia bush is budding.
HAPPY ST.PATRICK’S DAY
Mariyn,Joan and Marion
I always enjoy your beautiful photographs. The blooms are just gorgeous and the pups are so cute. That is quite the watering can with the butterfly. It almost looks like a vase, but I am assuming it is a true watering can. Very unique to say the least. I think it is a blessing that those of us who are retired and the most vulnerable to the virus can easily self-isolate (not including the poor and helpless in the nursing homes–they are at a real disadvantage) because we don’t have the worry of day care or jobs. Your post is very uplifting and I’m going to go back up and look at the blooms again! Stay healthy everyone as we ride out the wave.
I’m late reading blogs today as I have been out of town and there was much to do getting home to prepare for the next two weeks.
What a lovely post and great flower therapy. Your signature wellies are so pretty filled with flowers. Your porch welcomes spring beautifully. Love your MKC watering can with flowers and the cute pillow.
Your sweet pups always make me smile.
These are unusual times for sure. It seems so surreal and like a bad dream.
You are a good example working on projects. Staying home won’t be so bad because I have more projects than two weeks. I have plenty to keep me busy.
Blessings to you.
Thank you so much for your lovely flowers!! Love the wellies too. We all have to hang in together & try our best. Give you “littles” (dogs) a hug for all of us! Take care!!
NorCal is on lockdown, I’m working from home playing thermostat wars with the husband, and it’s raining outside. Naturally, my first thought is whether I bought enough chocolate to see the family through. Then I realized I hid 2 boxes of Thin Mints, read your blog, enjoyed the photos, and all was well again.
Your post put some Spring in my step, Mary! Your watering can arrangement and Lola and Sophie would make anyone smile 😊! I’m glad to know you’re keeping safe and busy. 😘
Thank you for the beautiful distraction. I l have said it many times, but I will say it again, I love that little green bench. Every time I see it, it just makes me smile.
What a charming arrangement. Love the pillow and the boots. The flowers look beautiful in the boots. Love the watering can arrangement too!