This time every year I get spring fever.
This is a dogwood staked very obviously so I don't have to threaten the yardmen if they destroy it! :) Thanks to Bess' dad for delivering it to me while we were in DC. He has babied it for well over a year for me.
I have been wanting one for years. In fact, I had one planted 4 years ago when Caroline and Nancy lived with me. Then the tree men came next door and took my dogwood with them. Call this round 2. There is one a few houses down so I have reason to believe it is doable!
I planted a camellia out my window. I told myself I didn't need another plant but I had an empty spot and I love them. As much as I love receiving flowers...I love cutting them from my yard just as much. Did you know Camelias are the Alabama state flower? I didn't.
Remember what I was doing this time last year? See my post,
"backyard makeover." It looks
great this year. (Shoutout to Dad, Lance and Matt.) The sod even survived a dog, Julie (which I would have taken for dead grass any day). Hopefully a new doggie will be arriving this year....stay tuned? (whoop whoop)
And this addition is thanks to Lance and Julie (and Costco). We found it on the shopping trip to fill their new frig. It's a mandevilla vine. Last year mine died early on in the season. Let's hope this one lasts through the summer!
I also have a tomato plant from Costco in my backyard. Last year Julie had one that produced an AMAZING amount of fruit. It well paid for itself. I am going to try my luck.
Happy Spring!
Update: Planted my tomato plant and thought a video would be fun on this beautiful day. (ahhem procrastination)
(I couldn't get it to load so click the link above.)
My high school friend, Hayley, was in a wedding with me a couple weeks ago for another high school friend. How well does she know me? Well enough to gift me a Hobby Lobby gift card (very well)!
Thank you to my amazing friend (/little) and art show supporter, Ashley Vines. She made me take this picture at the art show when we stopped by. Otherwise I would have been shy and would have regretted not taking the picture. I actually met the girl today at the Magic City Art Show who purchased the painting. I am more than flattered and am waiting to see how the other paintings fare.
It's been a somber week around Alabama. I am extremely blessed and so are most of my friends and coworkers. An event like this makes you grateful for all you have when you see pictures of those who have lost everything....just miles away. I have heard many sad, depressing stories. In fact, I have had to pry myself away from radio and tv. Today I visited the Boy Scout troop drop off in Vestavia loaded with water, diapers, and batteries. They were working tirelessly and the amount they have collected is simply amazing. That is just one small Boy Scout troop. Examples like that are all across town. The help and support from the community and across the country is heartwarming. 
I had my fence built 2 days before the storms hit. We knew storms were on the way and I wanted to get it built before the rain while I had a "not-so-busy-week." I am lucky it is still standing and tried to ensure it's going to last for a long time by painting it today with polyurethane. Not exactly the painting I like to do but I hope it pays off...
