Spring, that is. I'm finding all sorts of evidence in my garden that things are about to get a lot prettier and warmer around here. Thank goodness, I am so ready. Spring is my favorite season. I think the warm, breezy days with a profusion of beautiful blooming bulbs, Easter and all the new baby animals being born seem like such a reward for surviving the cold, dark, bleak winter. I like things about all the seasons but I'm never so relieved for a season to arrive as I am for Spring.

Last spring and fall my husband and I spent a ton of money and time trying to get our yard in a livable condition. We planted trees and shrubs and perennials and bulbs on a massive scale considering we had a new baby, a toddler and a 5 year old. I'm so thrilled to see all that hard work creeping back up back through the mulch to share its beauty with us again this year. And the spring planting plans are well under way, Bob is taking off a week from work next week and we should get the remaining beds dug and ready for planting in April.

Crocus

Phlox

Rudbekia

Hollyhock (12 of them!)

Rose beginning to leaf out

4 raised beds full of cabbage, lettuce, brussels sprouts, broccoli and various asian greens

I planted 600 or so bulbs last fall, they are popping up everywhere

I like having a photographic record of what things look like from season to season so I can really see the changes!



-Jess

I've ordered and made definite decisions!

South side of house, full sun. I'm planning a bed that will have bright purple and orange contrast. Below are a Bloomerang lilac, a vitex, a Janet rose, a Westerland rose, and South Seas daylilies. I will underplant with catmint and lavender. The lilac, vitex and Janet rose were planted in the fall so the rest of the bed will come together pretty easily. The mocha trellis matches my house and I really want it to blend into the background. It is a big trellis, 5 x 8 feet and will be the home of the climbing Westerland.








Our back island will be slightly reworked. I am moving the Nishiki Willow out and moving it to a wetter portion of my yard where it will thrive. We will be extending the back of the island behind the japanese maple and putting in some Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass back there. That will give a bit more privacy in the winter and add some visual interest year round. I will be putting in three garden pillars of varying height - 7, 6 and 5 feet in a trio and I will be growing goldflame honeysuckle and moonflower on them. In front of those will be two low growing Christopher Marlowe roses. The double apricot hollyhocks that I planted back there last year will shoot up and bloom this year so that will add visual interest as well.




This entire area in front of the island will become stone patio. The rail on the porch in the middle of the two support pillars will be taken down and stairs will come off the porch onto the patio. On other side of the stairs, which will be wide spanning the entire middle of the porch, will be two new raised beds. On the left where the hose spicket is will be a colonnade spire apple tree, a pinky winky hydrangea and snow storm spirea. I may try and squeeze in some dwarf weigela, though I am not certain yet if I will have room. This will all be underplanted with white creeping verbena and Lady Elizabeth daylilies. The other side will match with the exception of the apple tree and I'll probably put in some tall annual or biennial there, maybe hollyhocks or lupine.





The front of our house will also get one of the mocha trellis and a Westerland rose just like the side yard orange and purple bed. I'm happy to report that nothing planted in this photo below is still there because this garden is sad as can be! I had all the shrubs replaced by our builder and I rectified my mistake of putting those hostas in such a sunny spot (they have been moved to the north side bed) and in their place are 3 very tidy, low-growing azaelas that are a variety that can take more sun. That large garage wall will have the trellis and Westerland rose growing on it.



-Jess

I'm obsessed right now with planning our veggie gardens and with our hardscape landscaping. My husband has no idea the amount of manual labor I've got planned for him or he'd be heading for a perpetual cold climate in which none of my plans would be possible.

I've got trellis picked out.

I've got four new beds to be put in, including digging out the sod and mixing in compost, planting and then mulching.

I've got 10 THOUSAND dollars worth of plans in place and no idea if our budget will allow for that. OK, if I am being serious I know our budget will not allow for that but I'm dreaming.

Who wouldn't want these beauties lighting up the winter landscape? I'm a little crazed for shrubbery that has the decency to have the woody portions turn a brilliant scarlet after the last leaves drop in defeat. I've got a Nashiki Willow planted already but I really want a row of Red Twig Dogwood.

I'm planning for spring for the floral beauty of the garden:

Lady Elizabeth Daylilies

Seven Seas Daylilies

Collonade Spire Apple

Pinky Winky Hydrangea

My Monet Weigela

Snow Storm Spirea

Show Off Forsythia

Lobelia

Easy Wave Red Improved Petunia

Fiesta Coral Bell Double Impatiens

Oso Easy Mango Salsa Roses



-Jess

The title of this blog is "Follow Your Bliss" and for me, my true bliss is family. Last weekend we were all there in Williamsburg for Lily and Ellie's baptisms. I was able to shoot a few photos.

Like Jess, I have a pile of books ready for the new year. I'll probably read a couple of them simultaneously, as is often my wont. I'm a big fan of history, biography, and nonfiction, but do like a novel now and then. Here are the books I will read early in 2011 in no particular order:


I'm a fan of Barbara Kingsolver, so I'm eager to read this one. I bought this autographed copy at Kingsolver's restaurant in Meadowview, Virginia.

I've read another book by this author and hold out great hopes for this one. I received this book at a Christmas gift.


I love Bill Bryson! He is one of my all-time favorite authors. I once wrote him a letter, and surprisingly, he wrote me back! His books are so funny while also most informative. I've already begun reading this one.

I'm working on a huge family project, archiving all of the photographs, letters, ephemera, and objects handed down through the generations. This book will guide my work. I know the project will take at least a year. I've ordered all of the archiving supplies I'll need. Now I must begin to sort through the boxes and boxes of artifacts.


This book holds particular interest for me as I grew up in a sundown town. It shocking how we oppressed African-Americans in this country. Shame on us.

I have a big pile of books that I am looking forward to reading over the next few weeks and I thought it would be fun to see what my two co-bloggers have on their reading lists.

I would like to reread The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne



and

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream by David Platt



(Can you tell I feel particularly mercenary after Christmas shopping for my kids?!)

Winter's Tale by Mark Helrpin (started but got sidetracked)



Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen



and

Our Lady of Kibeho by Immacule Ilibagiza

You asked so you shall receive. :o) Grandma used to make at least one batch of these cookies a week for her boys.  Wow!

Ingredients:
1 cup coffee
3 t baking soda
1 cup shortening
1 cup molasses
3 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
3 t ginger
2 t vanilla
1 t salt
flour to texture (anywhere from 9-11 cups usually--it took 9.5 cups for me yesterday)


Directions:
Dissolve baking soda in coffee and cool.  Mix all ingredients with mixer except flour.  Add flour slowly and mix in.  Roll to 3/8" and cut.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Do no overbake! Store in tin can.


Rach's tips/tricks:
*Go ahead and give adding the flour by mixer a go.  If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, it should be up to the challenge. 
*I mixed in the last 2.5 cups of flour by hand, kneading the flour into the dough.  You want the dough to be rather like a soft Play Doh that doesn't stick to your hands.
*Flour the work surface before rolling.  It doesn't matter how many times you rework the dough, or how much flour gets worked in, these cookies will still be tender.  Like I have said, this is the most forgiving cookie dough EVER.
*Begin timing the cookies for 8 minutes and then test.  To test, lightly touch a cookie.  Continue to bake for additional time, one minute at a time as needed.  To test, lightly touch a cookie, if it leaves an indentation, they're not ready.  The trick is to NOT overbake them as they will then be dry.  This was the hardest part.

I think that's it.  If you have any questions, I'd love to help if I can.  My email is rachael(dot)davis(at)cox(dot)net.

--Rach