Bird Bath Planter

 The bird bath did not fare well over the winter and the cracks in the pottery caused by freezing weather were too numerous to repair . I took a slightly smaller ( than the bird bath ) resin basin and placed it inside the bird bath so it could still hold water for the birds. Then I planted primroses all around in basin.

 Cheerful, don't you think ?

 Speaking of cheerful , how about my frizzled hen ? She's fluffy AND cheerful.

 

Spring Walk Around Cedar Pond & Tea On The Porch

 This Limoges teacup and saucer were given to me by my sister, via her friend Elaine. Thank-you Elaine,this is a beautiful teacup !

 Yesterday was unseasonably warm and sunny. I had considered not posting for Tea-time Tuesday, opting for a bit of gardening and a walk in the sunshine to drink in all the glories of new life beginning to unfurl and burst around Cedar Pond, but since I also wanted a cup of tea, I decided to combine my passions for both. Look at the exotic bird on this teacup, he looks fierce and proud and ready to fly.

 My two Labs, full sisters from two separate litters born here on Cedar Pond accompanied me. They sat for this picture after already swimming in the pond. They love to be with me, and if a walk around the pond is called for, they know they are going to have a great time. Their names are Willow (left) and Bea. They know their names too, which makes it easy for me to walk with them, because I know they know who I am talking to or commanding as we walk. Example: "WILLOW, NO !" and Willow knows she is to stop what she is doing, but Bea continues on. My dogs love, know, and obey me, and know I mean what I say or command them. This is always so important when you have dogs and also what makes having dogs  a blessing ,rather than a problem. When they remember who is the boss in the pack ( and they know it is me) they are secure and know how to behave, not out of fear, but confidence, knowing the way life operates is consistent.This also offers them freedom . But I digress.

Willow, Bea, and my husband's dog Hawk romping and splashing in the pond.

 I was overjoyed to discover the crocuses were blooming and my husband's honeybees were buzzing  and humming in and out of them and the many primroses we have around Cedar Pond.

The ducks have been amorous for the last month, which is a sure sign that no matter the temperature spring is on its' way. Here are my 2 Call ducks, the drake is forefront. He is a seasoned veteran around here, surviving the devastating coyote raids, and fathering quite a few ducklings.

Look, the ducks have begun to lay eggs. So have my turkeys. When the ducks and turkeys begin laying eggs, it is a sure sign spring is here, no matter what the weatherman says.

The lambs were sunning themselves against the sun-warmed tree stumps, yes...lambs and warm places to sleep outside mean spring is here.

The teacup bird. Is this a Phoenix or pheasant ? Does anyone know? I have searched and searched the internet for any information on this teacup, to no avail.

The roses on the other side of the teacup.

" M-Fires, Limoges Made In France "

I sipped a cup of very hot mint tea from this cup after my walk around Cedar Pond. The sunshine cheered me until sunset. The walk around Cedar Pond was a reminder to me the seasons come and go and usually life will continue in the patterns God has established from Creation. My animals and the wild birds and animals who have chosen to reside here have an instinct He created that causes them to live accordingly, and produce young, rear them, and then start again all over the next season. Yes, the spring mating rituals of the wild birds, the beginnings of nesting time, the new lambs, newly laid eggs of my ducks, chickens, and turkeys all point to spring as having arrived here. Bring on Spring!

 

A very happy Labrador Retriever. Bea is waiting for me here on our private road beside the pond to throw her a stick. If she is very lucky, I'll throw it into the pond so she can swim and run in the mud before returning it to me. A romp in the pond and the mud, a few sticks to fetch, a bit of digging, and time with the person they love. Life is pretty simple for a dog, and life is really pretty simple for us. Someone to love, someone who loves us. Chores, work, and tasks that are needful and remind us we are needed. A simple cup of tea....not so very difficult, not so unobtainable, and a good reminder of the many blessings we often forget to remember because a lovely teacup and sustaining cup of tea are simple blessings beyond measure, and shared in good company are priceless.

 

I am sharing a bit of tea with the ladies listed below, please check out their tea times! You'll be glad you did. ~

• Bernideen's *
• Antiques and Teacups *
• Terri*
• Martha*
• Sandi *

Spot-On Weekend~

This was one wonderful weekend. We all need a few of these in our years don't we? A weekend of just doing things that are NORMAL, and accomplishing something good, and just plain nice. Here is my husband mowing the lawn with his John Deer ( Deer John?) after working to get it mowing again. He did it! The mower is running along doing what it is supposed to do, and because it is a special Deer John it has a cup holder to hold a bottle of root beer for my husband to satiate his thirst on a hot day in March in Washington. Yes, we reached a high temperature of 60 degrees! The little building behind my husband is his new honey house. Not yet completed inside, but almost. Finally, my husband's supplies and bee-keeping equipment will have a place of their own, not having to be searched for high and low in the furnace room, the garage, the closets, and another shed. A whole little building that will house our water pump and the bee-keeping stuff! Now I can clean out my pantry and store the shelves of honey jars in a proper place, the honey house ~ where my Honey will hum happily whilst working with his bees and what they produce. He will give you a little photo tour of his honey house on his blog* when he has finished it.( the honey house)

The ducks rejoiced in the warm weather too. Baths , and swimming, and courting, and then sunning themselves on the lawn for long happy naps.

Sassafras decided ( I am sure they can choose when to lamb and usually it is in the early a.m. when the weather is freezing and wet) this was a perfect day to have her lamb. She followed the sun and just soaked it up while the rest of the flock was eating. I just know when a healthy and very pregnant ewe refuses to eat and separates herself from the flock that her time to lamb is near. Sure enough, she had a beautiful little girl lamb shortly after I took this picture.I watched the lamb literally climb out of the birth opening by herself and then my husband and I watched the tiny and very wet lamb immediately stand and begin to search in the right place for her first milk. Is THAT not a miracle? And looky here, Ruth also decided to lamb and she too gave us a very tiny, but very perfect little girl lamb ( ewe) too!This little lamb just seemed to appear with her mother, it was that quick. I looked at my flock and there was a teensy, tiny lamb running with the flock as if she had been here for weeks . Isn't that amazing? Just born and running and nursing... All in all, this was the type of weekend anyone would and should love and appreciate. Time with each other at home, time to observe and marvel at our flocks,time with our daughter and her family (our family), and who doesn't love to cuddle their own grandchildren? Time with special friends ( thank-you David and Kathleen), time to enjoy all God has blessed us with and hopefully the ability to remember and appreciate His loving kindness.

Just Ducky!

Look at how excited our ducks are to be released from their pen in the morning! As you can see, all the ducks now enjoy the water. Why, they are just ducky! And to think...all these ducks originally fit in 1 box and came to us through the U.S. Mail. Amazing!