Outside, Inside

     With the warmer Spring weather last week and the colors that are finally appearing on fruit trees and early flowers around town, I was inspired to get outside and do a little planting.  The lilacs are lovely and fragrant.  They always remind me of my parents.  Mom said that when she and Daddy met at the USO in downtown Colorado Springs they walked to Acacia Park where they were surrounded by lilac bushes.   So, they bring a sweet memory for me, not to mention my most favorite scent.

Lovely lilacs

Do you prefer the white?

     I repurposed the base of my old waterbed to use as a raised garden.  On Monday I planted fingerling potatoes, garlic, shallots, onions, carrots and a sprinkling of lettuces.  Already the onions are peeking through!  With today's steady rain I should see more shoots in the next few days.  Wish me luck as this is the first time I've tried planting anything other than cherry tomatoes, herbs and lettuce.  Andy brought me a tray of pansies, but it's still pretty cold at night here so I've put off planting them.  They'll go in my rock garden by the ponds. 

Raised garden

     The columbines are going crazy in the rock garden!  I've never seen so many of their bright green flashy leaves.  Let's hope I get a ton of the blooms as I love our state flower.  These are a pastel pink, not the traditional purple ones that you see all over the mountains.  There are still a few months before we'll see their glory.
     I sowed some grass seeds for patching the bare spots in the grassy part of the backyard.  I'm hoping today's rain will get them on the road to being part of the lawn.  You know, the French word for yard is the same as the word for garden - "le jardin".  In France it's understood that if there's room for grass there must be room for flowers and vegetables.  Make the most of the area you have available.  Oh, how I miss French markets which are held all year in France, in good weather and in bad.  And so I always look forward to when our Farmers' Markets start up once again.  Nothing beats fresh local fruits and vegetables. 
     I decided it was time to get started once again inside.  I still need to get my neighbor's 8 ft ladder to scrape the ceilings in the addition, but that's no excuse for holding off on the ceiling in the kitchen.  So, that's where I started this week.  It was fun to find that a former owner had chosen a cheery yellow as the ceiling color.  In the photo you can see the difference between the original ceiling and the popcorn.  I will try to finish the kitchen ceiling this week.  I can only do a little a time because it is time intensive to scrape and then wash off the residue.  In case you're wondering, I don't plan to leave the ceiling yellow.  It's tempting, but I want it to match the rest of the ceilings.  And look at that beautiful glass light fixture!  I have always loved it!

Kitchen ceiling and light fixture

And I've included a couple of photos of work in the main part of the house.  I like the colors I chose for the walls and the crown molding.  I think they compliment the dark redwood trim and doors.  The crown molding doesn't even show up in the newer part of the house where everything is the same color.  What do you think?

New paint and trim

New colors on the right

     In my "down time" (which has been often in the past 2 weeks!) I have been reading books about Italy for our upcoming walking tour of Tuscany in September.  You may be wondering why Tuscany and not Provence, for example.  The main reason is because when I did a comparison of the 2 tours that Go Ahead offers, the one in Tuscany included more meals and more wine tasting!  And I do love Italy!  There will be 5 of us who will spend 4 days in Venice after the organized tour ends and most of my reading has been about Venice.  As some of you know, one of my favorite authors, Donna Leon, sets her mysteries in Venice and I am a huge fan.  I have been to Venice 3 times and could never tire of this magical city.  I laughed at something Donna Leon wrote in Willful Behavior, although perhaps I should be a little sad about the commentary:  "The Madonna had once saved the city from the plague, and now there was a church.  The Americans had saved the country from the Germans, and now there was a McDonalds."
     Whether I'm outside or inside, working or reading, I always think about my future house in France.  Some have suggested that my work here will prepare me for any renovations that will need to be done there.  I'm thinking that my work here is making me realize that I really don't want to have to work there! :-)
     Thank you for following my blog and joining me on my journey.  Merci!