CLICK PLANT GROW Blog Circle: Spring Clean Up Cont'd

We have had a few wonderfully warm spring days this past week in the northeast. I took advantage of the warmer weather and tackled some more spring clean up.  Cleaning out the flower pots were next on the list.  This past fall was the first year that I did not get to cleaning them out and storing them under cover properly for the winter.  Well, lesson learned. Not only does the previous fall clean up help make the spring prep much easier, it also extends the life and beauty of your pots. Mine did not hold up so well during the winter out in the elements.  Some of my clay pots did crack. For example, see the off-white pot below.  

Here are some of my weathered pots in need of TLC. Please excuse the harsh quality of light in these photos. A beautiful, sunny, cloud free blue sky day is great for outdoor yard work, but not so good for photographs. 

From clay pots cracking to color fading on the plastic planters....

To paint peeling right off.  

The pots were gathered, emptied, washed and scrubbed in preparation for their little face lift.

What did I use? Good old spray paint. I had a number of spray cans left over from last year.  I have to say that the Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover is by far the best.  Fast, full coverage with less coats.   FYI - I recommend using gloves if you use this variety of spray paint. Otherwise you may be scrubbing your hands for two days with a Scotch brand green scrubby in order to get the paint off your skin. 

Here they are after a fresh coat of paint. Now, all they need are some pretty flowers.

 I have this old chair and use it as a plant stand on our back porch. One of the large yellow pots sits right in the middle of it. The finish was old and chippy when I picked it up free from a yard sale a few years ago. However, the chippy paint has steadily fallen off. It is in need of a new finish but I am not sure exactly what to do with it. Anyone have any suggestions?

Around the yard there has been some more signs of spring.  Remember the demonic looking Snowball Bush flower bud from my last post? 

 This is what it looked like two weeks ago. 

This is what it looks like now.  Little by little it is getting there! 

What other signs of spring have we had? Why the return of the Dandelions of course!  

What signs of spring have you noticed?  

Please continue along the Click Plant Grow blog Circle and visit Susanna at My Life In Color and check out what is going on in her garden. 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Happy Spring, 

Lisa 

"Love"...a Black and White Blog Circle

Fours weeks sure did go by fast! I can not believe it is already time for the February installment of the B&W blog circle.  This month's theme was Love. A very appropriate theme for the month of February I thought. So the goal was to capture Love in Black and White.....ok, not as easy of a task as I thought.  I kept seeing things in "color" vs black and white. Aside from looking for opportunities to photograph people expressing love to each other, I found it challenging.  So I tried to think outside my own box and this is what I came up with. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts.

 I took these photos........

For the love of doing what you enjoy.

Yes, I took a photo very similar to this one before. So why not repeat what you love doing?

For all the "sweet" little reminders of love that are everywhere during this time of the year.

For the love of a good cup of tea in the quiet early morning hours before everyone wakes up. 

For the love of a good piece of chocolate.  Mmmmmmmm.....

For the love of reading and a well written story.

For the love of her own sense of style. <3

For the love of his eyelashes, freckles and his inability to resist giggling and smiling.

 Especially when told not to do so.<3

For the genuine reminders that I am loved. <3

For the love and commitment that these two rings represent.  Thirteen years of marriage and counting.....<3

I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of this months theme and felt the love!  Continue on with this blog circle and view some amazing black and white photography by some pretty talented people. You can do so beginning with Rebecca over at Rebecca Wyatt Photography and see her monthly captures of "Love."  You can find her by clicking HERE.

See you next month!

~ Lisa 

"In the Kitchen"...... a Black and White Blog Circle

While I love color photos and I often drool over the ones that just seem to have the right amount of color and color scheme, black and white photos are my favorite. To me, black and whites tell the story and capture your attention by eliminating distracting backgrounds or colors and draws you in to the details or emotions captured in the photo. Very recently I was provided the opportunity to participate in a blog circle. A small gathering of photographers, given a theme/prompt for their interpretation to be captured and share at least 5 photos on the 15th of each month. This blog circle is all about Black and White photos! So I am excited for this opportunity and to give it a try. The first theme/prompt given is "In the Kitchen."
 My goal from this day forward is to share photos recently taken. However, I hopped on board to this blog circle only 2 short days ago so in this first post I have also included some older photos. Here is my interpretation of "In the Kitchen."

First and foremost, I thought to myself.... if I am to show you what is "in my kitchen" then I should show you what it looks like.  Well, here it is......pretty simple, functional, nothing fancy and usually not this organized. LOL. There is usually more evidence of life around here because this room is really the heart of this house.

Along with what seems like endless dishes, usually there is always some form of cookware ready to go on the stove top. I have steadily acquired several pieces of antique and new cast iron cookware, which I absolutely love! They are great to cook with and the rustic look and feel to them are just up my alley.

Majority of our everyday family life and interactions occur seated at our kitchen island. 

Oddly, our kitchen table tends to be used more as a collection space for mail, backpacks, toys or as you can see.... a temporary music stand more than it does a dinner table.

    

 Aside from evening meals together, our kitchen island is a place for spending time with family and enjoying a sweet treat.....

for homework......

for celebrations.......

  for impromptu and unconventional family pictures...

  as well as a spot to quietly capture the makings of a late night snack......

Next you will see that we have a new addition to our family located IN our kitchen.  Despite all the technology, communications, linked and synced electronic calendars, keeping our schedules straight is always a challenge.

 Enter what we call........drum roll please......The Mother Board.

 

We hope that this "Mother Board" will help keep our busy schedules running smoothly. Yes it is a bit old school, I am always open to simpler old school ways, but it is big.  I mean it is 4 ft x 6 ft IN YOUR FACE BIG! The photo may not do it justice. However, with this thing staring at us in the face day in, day out, on the way in and out of the kitchen, it is bound to keep us on track.  No more excuses! 

There you have it, my interpretation of "In the Kitchen."  Till next time! I am excited to be a part of this group and am eager to see what next month will bring.

You can follow along the blog circle and view more black and white photos and other talented people by visiting Dina Farmer at Blueberries and Bokeh. Check out what is in her kitchen.

~Lisa