Sunday Bits #24 (geraniums, lily's, lean-to greenhouse, dahlias)

Happy Easter, my dear friends! I hope that you are having a lovely weekend, celebrated with good food, family and friends... and an abundance of chocolate!

We have company coming for dinner today, which has hubby in the (new) kitchen cooking up a storm. We both love these big get-togethers, celebrating with family and friends. The house is still kinda chaotic after the renovation but sometimes you just have to stop, breathe, enjoy time spent with loved ones, put aside the unfinished bits for another day.

The weather this long weekend has been spectacular, warm and sunny. The snow is near gone, the patio has been swept and readied for the table and chairs... my thoughts immediately turn to planning and planting.

Gardening Bits

Are you interested in growing more flowers this year? Maybe for your own personal cut flower garden, or maybe a wee flower farm. Here are some wonderful tips about organic flower growing, and how flowers also benefit your food garden.

These Sunday Bits posts are my all time favourites. I get to share all sorts of information for you all, from all the garden gurus in tv-land, magazines, bloggers, farmers, specialists from all over the world instead of you just reading my gardening advice. Well rounded, in other words.

Have a look at all these wonderful outdoor areas. They are all gorgeous but #5 and #12 are my favourites.

I have posted this before but it is worth re-posting, especially now that spring has sprung. How to build a lean-to greenhouse!

My Cafe au Lait Dahlias.

And this one about how and when to wake up your dahlias from storage.

Geraniums are my favourite summer flowers. I like most all flowers, of course, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the geranium for sure. I especially love trailing geraniums like this one above in my porch pot, they are so delicate and pretty. Here is a how-to about growing and caring for geraniums.

Wondering how to get rid of grass in your garden beds? Here are some helpful tips. Don't do the nasty landscape fabric though, your plants will thank you for it!

Decor Bits

Have you ever seen pictures of Julia Child's actual kitchen? These are so great! How practical! The storage cubbies and the pot wall. The shallots next to flour surprised me a bit, but if it worked for Julia, who am I to quibble, eh?

Check out this amazing kitchen though! So pretty!

Picture of an easy slow continental breakfast from 'The Eater.'

This pretty Swedish apartment with it's courtyard space is so charming, and I would say it is looks like a pretty typical Swedish home. It actually reminds me of my friend's apartment in Malmö, where we would sit in for hours, just chatting and enjoying a 'slow' Saturday breakfast. Then we would set out for a day of visiting cute mom and pop shops, or maybe take the ferry across to Denmark for the afternoon.

I kinda miss those slow food moments that never seem to happen here. Why is that, I wonder? Sipping coffee while nibbling at the tableful of all sorts of baked goods, crackers, fruits, cheeses and sandwich meats, like a lovely informal breakfast smörgåsbord, no one cooking, everyone sitting and enjoying the start to the weekend in the most pleasant way.

Do you love shabby chic? I know it has been around for a million years already but I never tire of it. Here are some lovely shabby ideas, not over the top, totally fit into most all homes.

My latest project....

Diy Bits

Make a faux forsythia wreath? This totally says spring is here!

I have a project underway... again. I always have a project or ten on the go. So many ideas, so little time! Beside this latest one, are you curious about what some of those projects might be? Check out my Pinterest board to see some of the things that have caught my eye this year.

One last thing... if your sweet hubby brings you lilies for Easter, you want to be aware that ALL parts of the lily are toxic to kitties. Cats are crazy nosy! They seem to get into everything, even if you think they are too lazy to care, they just might. Please make sure to put any and all kinds of lilies some place your kitty cannot access. I always remove the stamens, as I am absolutely positive that is the first thing my cat would go for, but I also put them well away from any place that she might go... then I thank hubby and remind my him that though lilies are pretty, so are roses and tulips ;)

Happy Easter Sunday ~ Tanja