Can you tell?...

Can you tell that the days have started getting a wee bit longer again?

The sun is staying up just a little bit longer everyday.

Used to it would start getting dark here at about 4:30 in the afternoon, and lately it's been creeping back to 5:00 before dusk starts setting in... Which means...yep..Spring isn't too far around the corner.

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I am itching to get to play in the dirt. Yep..I sure am.

No, I'm not gonna make mudpies..but don't you remember those fun days too?

I want to plant lots of seeds and water them, and watch them sprout up from the soil, and then turn into wonderful things to prepare for dinner. Things like lettuce, tomatoes,beans and more.

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Around here most folks start planting things around Valentine's Day.

So..I better start getting busy on my planning and plotting.

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I want to rent a roto tiller and till up a few small areas for a couple more raised bed areas in the backyard..and then I want to create another large flower bed area.Another cottage garden type bed, but with a more formal feel to it..not a wildflower look like the one cottage garden bed has, but a more structured feel to it.

The first cottage garden was simply tilled and seed tossed everywhere.We call it our "surprise garden" We literally have no idea what will start sprouting up next in it. It is fun, but definitely our "wild child" garden.

It's so fun to plant and plan out a garden area.

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Well..I have been stitching on a wee tea towel for my etsy shop. It is derived from a vintage coloring book..it is an image of a bumble bee and a bee hive box and it has the words "Bee Happy" on it. It's turning out nicely.

I'll be listing it soon.

It's so relaxing sometimes to do a little hand stitching. Now if only I'll take the time to actually make something for myself though. I have been wanting to make some valances in my kitchen and some toss pillows that are hand embroidered .One day I shall.

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I've been working on another collage for the etsy shop. It takes a while to hand cut out all the little paper pieces/designs I want to use in the collages.

This one will have a fairy theme..that's all the clues I'm giving. You'll have to wait until I get it done..ha. Won't the suspense just get ya..haha.(boy am I cruel or what? hee hee)

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I've been thinking about how I decorate my home and the things that I enjoy..and lately I have been wanting to go towards more antiques in my home. Old things that make me smile. Not the cheap things(from foreign countries) that every one has in their homes from WM but quality old things that have a history and a story behind them.

Things that add a distinct charm to a home.(and truly make our homes our little "nests")

So..I've actually been on the look out for a few things here and there and have started a few collections along the way.

I added to my wooden dutch shoe collection the other day with the two shoes from my friend Frannie...and I have been slowly adding to my vintage valentine card collection also.

And..I'm adding a few Victorian images to my picture collections too.

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I've been getting a hankering to go garage saling again. Yes....I know I just cleared out a bunch of things from my garage and house..but what I want to look for are the vintage items.

Things with character/age/history.

I'm really tired of the WMart and KM things. In fact I haven't shopped at WMart for a really long time. I hate how busy and noisy the stores sound and look..and I'm getting really tired of those little tags on the backs of items that say "made in (enter foreign country name)"...I used to work in the UPC office of Wmart years ago..and was privvy to what some of the mark ups on items were..oh my goodness..yes the "made in (foreign country)" things literally were a dime a dozen..but the Wmart markup was oftentimes 200 percent on up to 1,000 percent markups on things. wow!

Nope..me..I'm getting tired of my house decor looking like everyone elses.

Time to be unique and different. And I can tell you..the older things..well..they just don't make them like they used to that's for sure..

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Well...that's all for this evening.

Thanks for joining me in "blogland"

~The Garden Goose~