Countdown to Spring ...

Winter's duration is 89 days, 1 hour and 45 minutes and in anxious anticipation Spring will arrive on March 20th.  On Groundhogs day Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early Spring. Yet with Global warming Cherry Blossoms opened in Philadelphia during December with temps that reached 77 degrees on Christmas Day. Will the ephemeral beauty of Pink Cherry Blossoms bloom in 2016? Bursting into delicate light Pink with it's nearly 1,700 Cherry trees lining the Tidal Basin in DC. It's been my obsession ever since I was 5 years old day dreaming about and admiring the beauty of Washington DC while colored in a canopy of Pink. So as I write this Spring anticipation post my eyes, fingers and toes are crossed for a profusion of floral to behold driving our vintage French DS Pallas Citroën down for a weekend to kick off what has become my official celebration of Spring.

"You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming."

~Pablo Neruda~

Projects are still going on in our row-home and excitement is felt as these efforts do zap our energy but visually invigorate and please. In this post I will share snapshots throughout our home of Springtime touches and leave you with my poem Spring is a Daisy.

Eggs from all kinds of birds are displayed in our house during "countdown to Spring".

A wired crate with Quail eggs and mini Cartapesta crowns sit on top along side an antique little jar from Israel. Texture reigns supreme in our row-home, it's a welcome sense and adds quality of feel and also an appreciated visual touch. 

Sources will be noted at end of this post.

A bouquet of pretty Pinks from the supermarket grace the eye in beauty with its floral mixture and soft texture. Two Cala lilies were included in the bouquet. Cala Lilies signify magnificence and beauty and delight me. 

Displayed in a favorite vase, a trio of bottles contained in a wire basket I purchased a few years ago at the Philadelphia Flower show. 

A wire egg basket displays blown out Chicken eggs. Eggs signify life, fertility and rebirth. For Christians the Easter egg is symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

All of the eggs are natural variations of chicken egg colors, none are dyed. I especially adore the blue eggs Araucanas and Ameraucanas Hens lay. 

Eggs are part of my families legacy and why they factor into our Spring/Easter décor. My Dad's parents owned a Chicken Farm outside of Frenchtown in Kingswood, New Jersey. Sunday's we would all gather at Grandmoms and Grandad's to help out on the farm. Each of us having our chores (mine was collecting the eggs). Trust me sometimes it was a fight between the chicken and I since hens often do not want to give up their eggs. The mother hen thing as they would peck at my hands. Afterwards we would all gather at the farm table for dinner prepared by Grandma, my Mom and Aunts. Cousins and family joined together on each Sunday after mass to help, never a excuse given to not show up for it was a different time and our strong family ties held our family commitment together. 

Lasting memories for me especially since my Grand father passed when I was 5 years old. Leaving me with imprinted memories of my very early childhood of discovery and fun on their farm. In my mind's eye I can still see fruit stains on my fingers from picking and eating Black Cherries from their tree and the Raspberries that grew along the side of the farmhouse on the fence. 

John printed this photo onto canvas and gallery wrapped it around foam core. I had saved the photo from google images and I thought it would make interesting kitchen art displayed for Spring. 

I have a love of Black and White photography and enjoy the mix of actual color photos and en noir in my posts. Because of my affection of en noir photography I am considering capturing snapshots of things that evoke emotional feelings to me en noir and posting the photo to an Instagram account. Just a concept and I'd appreciate your thoughts on this idea.

A newly replenished supply of Lavender is displayed in a French floral bucket. French Grosso Lavender in our dIning room. Love its dusty Purple beauty and calming scent. Lavender a constant since we have lived in this old row-home.

A needle felted Bunny on a bamboo swing hangs from our armoires knob.

Just adds cuteness and a smile to our face as we pass by.

Antique wooden eggs purchased from a flea market long ago are displayed on a raw edge salvaged Black Walnut shelf over our riddling rack in our wine corner of the Dining room.

The eggs were tied in a old flimsy plastic bag and when I picked up the bag and asked for a price the vendor said 50 cents! I do not judge anything by cost but instead the emotional pull the item evokes. Affordability becomes possible when you live with a combined mix of salvaged, found art pieces, refurbished vintage and antique, altered and repurposed. Enjoying the occasional indulgence in high end furniture or art pieces that you just can't live without and have called your name. Living surrounded with the past, the present and a nod to future design feels perfectly harmonic to us.

In our Living room we are making a few changes and adding artful expression. A tour of our Living room will be (hopefully) my next post. No big remodeling changes but lots of design enhancements.

John and I get a kick out of micro cars and both love the Isseta. As I compose this post John is putting up metal shelves in the garage and here is a little peek at something John created. John printed onto canvas an actual sized photo of an Isseta and applied it to the garage's back wall with heavy duty wallpaper paste. The walls are painted a contrasting Grey to add dimension to fool the eye. 

We both enjoy being creative, making and collecting art which we choose to display in a playful casual way throughout our home. We truly appreciate being able to surround ourselves with artful expression to enjoy and help ease lives everyday stresses.

Below is a little Spring poem I wrote, Spring is a Daisy. See you soon.

xx,

Vera

After months of frozen lakes and counting snowflakes Ahhh, on March 20th we welcome Spring.

Robin Red Breast has been spotted and early morning song birds have returned to rejoice and sing.

For me this time of year reminds me of a sweet Daisy with Easter's promise in purity, joy and innocence all in wait.

From Spring into Summer, day's are strung together in nature's bounty of beauty in warm sunny weathers' fate.

The arrival of Spring brings happiness and Daylight savings time and creates the feeling love is in the air.

He loves me, he loves me not - plucking the petals off an oxeye daisy asking in rhyme the question, if you dare.

Carefree sunlight days of innocence in hopeful anticipation during Spring that love will bloom in your heart.

Days turn into Summer where hope springs external, an idiom of optimism and a promising fresh start.

© Vera

Sources:

Quail eggs in crate - CuriousSofa.com

Blown out Chicken eggs - TolerablyRockyFarm - etsy

Cartapesta mini crowns - Burlap Luxe - etsy

Metal heart and cross on French floral bucket - VILLABARNES - etsy

Couture Velvet Purple pillow - TasseliTexiles - etsy

Swinging bunny - healoom - etsy

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