Shamrocks & Heather

First off I'd like to say thank you for all of your very kind comments on my last post.  Your comments and suggestions have all helped me feel better about things going on here.  I hope for things to improve somewhere down the line, one way or another.  My blog is actually one place where I can find a little escape from the everyday, and I've enjoyed so much the friendships I have made here since starting this blog.  If I have to take a step back from keeping up with everyone's blogs, I'll do that, but I won't be gone for good.  Anyway, thanks again, you're all such good friends ... and now onto something else ...

 

The shamrock holiday will soon be upon us, and it'll be time to wear green and claim some Irish heritage back in our family trees ... I know I'm part Irish, how about you?!  Last year I picked up a pretty little shamrock plant from our local nursery just prior to St. Patrick's Day.  My mom used to have a large planting of shamrocks in her greenhouse.  The greenhouse was right up against the side of the house, and she planted them right in the ground along the wall of the house.  They were so cute, and I hope the people that bought that house are enjoying them still.

The shamrock I bought last year was green-leafed with white flowers. 

 

 

This year they had this beautiful purple-leafed variety with soft pink flowers.

  

 

The flowers are fairly small and delicate, but my little shamrock from last year has been flowering non-stop all winter, and it's nice to see them when not much else is happening with the plants.  I also like the way the leaves close up at nighttime, or if you touch them.  It makes the plant seem even more "alive" and personal ;)

 

 

And while my husband and I were browsing around the somewhat empty nursery, I saw this pretty little pot of heather. 

 

 

I know a lot of you in the UK are quite familiar with heather, and I have seen the heather in the highlands of Scotland myself when I attended my brother's wedding there years ago.  But we don't have heather growing here in Canada, and I was struck by this bright little plant, so it came home with me.  I hope it will survive outside, but I don't think it will survive our winters.  Does anyone here in Ontario have any experience with growing heather outside?  I'd appreciate any advice there.

  

Cody thought it smelled "wild" and was happily checking it out ...

 

 

So even though there's still enough snow out there to look like winter ... these little plants will help to brighten our kitchen nook and make it feel like spring.

 

 

As you can see, the plants are starting to take up a good portion of our nook!

 

 

My pets were enjoying the sunshine pouring in the front window today ...

 

Smudge

 

Cody

I picked up this candle holder at the thrift store last weekend ... big enough to hold a votive candle.  Unfortunately, if the candle is left burning too long, it melts all over the inside :[  I really like the butterfly pattern and will keep it on my kitchen table to light during our dinners.

 

 

Well, we just back home after having a nice dinner out, just the four of us, and then dropping my daughter back in university town.  I don't think we'll be seeing her again until exams are finished in April ... I think Cody and I are going to miss her the most.  

 

When we walked out of the restaurant, it was snowing ... that nasty sleet-like snow ... and earlier today I was going to tell you all how spring temperatures are slowly arriving and it was actually plus ... plus(!) 2C earlier this week!  There really has been lots of melting snow with the sunshine and warmer temperatures this week though, so I really do think Spring has peeked around the corner and hopefully will stay for good now.

 

I hope you all had a good weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

 

Wendy x