Out and About ~ Spring Inspiration

 

Hello, hello. If you came over from Instagram, welcome. And Hi to all my regulars too of course!

Ah, spring. As covid fears lessen and mask rules are rescinded, it is now more than ever time to get out and enjoy shopping on these bright sunny days. Spring is my least favorite season, but even seeing the first snowdrops, or sunset after six PM, does lift my bah humbuggy spirits. Though...yesterday I was fooled, walked Mo without putting on all my extra layers---no wind pants, no inner down vest, no barre socks, no UGGS---and with the wind blowing hard from the east, I like to froze, so cold even my hot tea afterwards failed to warm me. Today I layered, no more lazy girl dogwalking for me until July.

 

Where is my puffer coat, mommy, 

my feeties are so  cold!

The Dollar Store has become a fun habitual stop for me and L. It's right by the bank, and we often stop in. This is not the Dollar General that had rat infestation, this is not a chain or franchise, just local. I was very pleased to find inexpensive cooking knives and a chopping board spatula, all under 4.oo each.

Pretty ribbons too.

And yes I finally succumbed to the lure of their expensive faux tulips. They look so real to me. And knowing we'd probably not get to Traer Joe's for real flowers this week, I decided they were fine, good enough for me.

Another day we drove over the bridges to Home Goods, another fave destination.

Isn't the water beautiful. Navy blue! No exotic rafts of ducks but the geese are pairing on the marshes, waddling around on the roadway verges by the bridges. [though none in my phots, taken at the requisite 70 mph there]

Home Goods:

 

Pleasantly quiet, though very long wait to pay. 

The store wasn't very focused. Still some Valentines items. And Easter!

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Boho Style again, maybe we missed the big winter stock up of things from faraway lands? I didn't really notice the vertical blue items on the right. If those are trays, I wish I had stopped to look and snap them up.

Hilarious Pug paintings. Only pugs, no Frenchies, no Labs or Goldendoodles, just pugs.

Mo is underwhelmed by that idea. His portraits from Chewy are better.

The coastal look this year is vintage-y Nile green not blue. Not for me.

I loved the blue and white outdoor pottery. Imagine these clustered on my deck, filled with colorful zinnias.

This very big bowl would have been perfect for the solar fountain I am still wanting, maybe with a few water plants. Maybe 18-20" diamter, no drain holes. Sometimes I don't think as fast as I should, Home Goods can be overwhelming.

                                              

This year's art glass garden stakes, fishies. Not as wonderful as last year's hens though.

I did get a few things using another Christmas gift card. 

New pans. A medium sized skillet and this two handled baking pan. I have been looking for years, my old one is so beat up. Now I know---they are called paella pans. I like them for roasting chicken or other meats, the pans are easy to handle, then can go right onto stove top for gravy or sauce making. 

Both pans were only 12.99 each.

 [yes there was a le Creuset "paella pan", which would last a lifetime and more; but it was so heavy I couldn't lift it and cost almost $200.oo. Baby aqua, sigh. Pass.]

And this cute mini canister set from Rae Dunn pottery. 

So my table looks neater?

I wonder if she [he?] ever worries about the massive overabundance of her word pottery, discounted everywhere, saying everything, anything. I am still a fan though. Rae Dunn pottery

And some Easter things, I will show you them closer to Easter decorating time. Somehow I didn't get home with my best find, a wonderful wooden spool with  sort of faded prim polkadot silk ribbon. I was pretty upset, I loved it.

...

Wish list outings:

The big Flower Show Show, last two weeks of March:

And, again, the fun indoor brewery farmers market. It will be much more manageable without a mask, densely fogged glasses and huge puffer coat soon.

Hope your weekend is good!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

some pics from Mo's most recent sleepover. The beach he is at does not enforce No Dogs December to mid-March.