Books to Read this Spring!

How is your reading going?  Maybe you are lucky enough to live where you can read by the pool, or by the ocean, or on your front porch.  I live in Kansas and early March usually means you will need to be in the house with your favorite winter blanket near by - - -

Today I am reading from my recliner in the living room - - - one of my favorite spots because I can gaze out the front window and see pretty trees and the sky.  (Especially when the window has been freshly cleaned)

I wanted to share with you - Top Spring Books for 2016

Disclosure:  I have not read them . . . just want to look in to reading some of them . . .

Challenge #3 - Look the list over and share if you have read some - - - special prize to the person who has read the most!  Share what you are reading today!  Why did you select it?

SEE YOU BACK IN ONE HOUR FOR A FUN "COLORFUL" CHALLENGE!!

Also!  The winner of Challenge #2 is Tami Erwin!!  She has spent more than l5 minutes out in the fresh air cleaning up around the farm and putting storm windows back on their home after replacing window sills!  Definitely needs this next prize . . . One of my new favorite things . . . A Diet Coke and a 100 calorie Dove Milk Chocolate Bar!  A wonderful rewarding but yet healthy enough treat!
Thanks for participating!

High noon - lunchtime!

Hope you are enjoying our Spring Fling - I have spent the last two hours washing some windows and letting the sun shine in . . . I also planned to do a little cooking for today also.  Lunch will be just me . . . Hubs is working and refused food . . .

Next on the menu is some smothered chicken for a potluck church dinner tomorrow.  Fix now and in crock pot later.  Also on the menu for supper tonight . . . Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. 

Challenge #2 - - -

Grab the tennis shoes and head outdoors if your weather permits . . . I understand it may still be cold or wintery in your home town!    Spend fifteen minutes walking about your yard or neighborhood . . . enjoy the sunshine . . . and the hope of spring!   Be ready to come back here and post your favorite sign of spring!  

Then grab your favorite refreshing drink and it's time to do some reading - - - the part of the day I've looked most forward to!

Be sure to check out Tami at Just One More Thing . . . She is joining in today with pictures of her spring planning and some challenges of her own.  She also is the lucky winner of the Garden Challenge!  Sharing a picture of one of her marigolds!  She will receive a pretty pair of gardening gloves!!

See you back in a couple of hours - enjoy your walk!

10:00 a.m. challenge . . .

I hope you enjoyed the devotional thought on spring cleaning our homes, but more importantly our hearts!  Just for fun before we move on . . . 

Can you complete this quiz?

And now moving on . . .

I am not a gardener . . . I totally rely on my sister Tami to supply me with fresh farm grown tomatoes each year and also "grandma's homemade chili sauce", salsa, and awesome plum jelly!  I do, however, love me some flowers!!

Each summer for years I filled my planters with annuals of all kinds - marigolds, petunias, spikes, vincas, geraniums, alyssum, and many others!

Last summer I slowed it down to a red, white and blue theme only.  Geraniums, wave petunias, and the nearest thing to blue I could find . . . really a shade of purple . . . and the name escapes me. 

This summer I plan to stick with wave petunias and some green filler like a spike or a fern.  Red and white it will be.  I have six planters to fill and one hanging basket.

Why do you spend the money on flowers?  Spend the time to plant them and then the time to water them?  

I assume you are like me - - - I get such a great joy at looking at them - the colors are so bright and they look so inviting.  Most of my flowers are on and near my patio.  One of the most peaceful places I go in the summer. 

Challenge #1 - For the next hour spend some time in "planning" either in your mind or actually on paper - your garden!  Be ready when you hit the greenhouse to go directly to the items you need . . . or it's just like grocery shopping . . . I end up with some beauties that I really don't have a place for!  I can't resist!  Then come back and reply in the comments how your planning session went and share what you hope your garden (flower and vegetable) will look like!

Happy Gardening!    Eligible for prize drawing if you can share a picture of your favorite flower or vegetable or a picture of what your garden has been in the past or your hope for this year!

Whose pretty porch is this??

Let the sun shine in!

Morning blogging friend(s) . . . Do you have your coffee brewing and are you ready for a fun and relaxing day?

First things first . . . Please check your email and you will find a devotion called Spring Clean Up: Christian Women's Devotional.  Spring Clean Up for the Heart and Soul!

And if you aren't my sister . . . Check out http://www.juliabettencourt.com/dev/springcleandev.html

Enjoy!

I'm allowing us the first two hours to have our quiet time with God  - but add a comment about the devotion when you are ready.

See you back here then around 10 a.m. I'll have our first challenge!

Happy Spring!

Spring Fling Kick-Off

It's Friday and it is 11 a.m. - - - I have much to get done but am taking a break long enough to post about the Spring fun that is coming our way tomorrow!   Please join me!

I'm celebrating with Spring fever early . . . Saturday, March 5!

8:00 a.m. - - - Coffee and devotions - - - I'll share a morning devotion with you . . . of course you are on your own for coffee!

Going to shower quickly and be set for a relaxing day!

I am really focusing on two things for the day.  #1 Reading and #2 Cleaning windows.   

I'd love to have you join me and share about your day!  How do you prepare for Spring?  Do you decorate your home?   Do you plant a vegetable garden or flowers?  What is your plan? 

Check back tomorrow at 8 a.m. for a Spring devotion and then at 10 a.m. for the first Spring Challenge!

Hint . . .

Spring Fling

It should be illegal to not blog post for over two months!  Especially when I blogged January 3 and said I was going to allow much more time for fun this year!!  Fun for me includes reading, blogging, coloring, and relaxing.

I'm declaring this Saturday Spring Fling - - - Spring does not begin officially until 3-20-16 but I am in a hurry and I'm having Spring fever.  I have been spending about half an hour every night after work in the back yard with the puppies - to my surprise my youngest puppy has learned to play fetch really well!  I have never had a Boston Terrier who would agree to give up the ball or bone or etc.  But Libby is doing it perfectly! 

First on the list I need to wash windows - - -fun? - - - no - - - but necessary for me to enjoy looking out!

Then for Spring Fling I started to collect ideas on Pinterest - under Spring Fling!  A new wreath for my front door - ideas for Easter baskets - and a spring cleaning challenge.  So . . . this Saturday I plan to work on the new wreath as my project.  The rest of the day will look like this . . .



Reading
                                                   Devotions
                     Coloring

                                          Napping
 
           Cooking

                                                   Coffee                                Blogging

 

Would you like to join me in my Spring Fling?

Please do!

Check in with me on my blog where I will be posting fun challenges for ways you can enjoy a "Spring day"

3 prizes to be drawn for!!

 

And the fun begins . . .

Happy New Year again and as I blogged on New Year's Eve one of the biggest changes I want to make this year is to make time for some relaxing fun projects.  It will be divided between reading and crafting.

Sewing is my first order of fun . . . oops I almost said first order of business . . . but that would sound like it is something on a "to do" list . . . although I do NEED potholders and I love the ones that I learned to make several years ago.    If you refer back to this post - you will see my sister Tami and my mom spent some time one weekend with some sewing projects, baby blankets, and the pot holders were a hit for me and my daughter.  She and I both are needing to restock.  So this afternoon . . . I cut l0 inch squares in preparation for a "Sister Weekend" coming soon in January where I will get some "instruction" again on making these.  

Cutting is one of my favorite parts - - - what is your favorite sewing project - - - or your favorite part?

Share pictures if you'd like!

Happy Sewing!