As SPRING begins to arrive here in Northern California; I delight in snapping a few photos of the GARDEN.The garden brings JOY and SOLACE to most in one way or another.I have not been able to work in my garden now for many years.When I take a stroll I see things that have taken OFF; since last I planted them many years ago.

My garden was built by my ITALIAN and ME!I knew nothing about gardening but would read those catalogs that use to come in the mail from beginning to end.I would visit my local nurseries (I had THREE to FREQUENT) which are in a 2 mile radius.I would read the labels of plants and note if they liked sun or shade.I would PURCHASE only the plants that spoke to me!

Plus I had a color scheme.YELLOW and WHITE.

Not easy having something blooming all year round when you limit yourself to TWO COLORS.But it was a fun challenge for me TO TRY!

Another factor for me was it had to have a FRAGRANCE!That is even harder to find in white and yellow color combo!

Never less, I enjoyed gardening for many years.Until I could not because of the head and neck movement.

Remember, the EYE EPISODES I use to have where I would lose my vision and feel FAINT and have a headache for up to TWO DAYS?Well, those were fixed by a CERVICAL SPINE CHIROPRACTOR a year ago APRIL 13 th!

MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY IS UPON ME and I am thinking I need something SPECIAL!!

LIKE A PUPPY or a GEM!

A PINK PEONY from my garden was opened for EASTER just ONE but I will take it!

Do you know the ANTS open the BUD?

I think I tell YOU that every year!

THEY DO!

I read that somewhere years ago and I always LOOK to see if it’s TRUE!

MY GRANDCHILDREN on SPRING BREAK……………….soon to be 6,9 and 11 years old.

ALL THREE BORN IN MAY!

I LOVED the MONTH OF MAY growing up being it was MAY DAY and you know what to DO ON MAY DAY right?Make baskets or cans of FLOWERS and deliver to your neighbors, by ringing their doorbell and running away!Also, it was GINNA’s birthday in my neighborhood. Her birthday was on MAY 16 th. I have NEVER FORGOTTEN.Recently I tried to FIND A FRIEND from ELEMENTARY SCHOOL who’s birthday fell on MARCH 18.So, I googled and found her FATHER’s obituary which somehow led me to her phone number on the internet!I called on MARCH 18, only to get her voicemail.I left a message hoping to hear back!I was SO EXCITED ABOUT FINDING HER!

AND I DID.

We will meet up in MAY for the first time since middle school!

Let’s NOT DO THE MATH on how many years since we last saw each other!

THE NEW PLANTER BOXES made by THE ITALIAN all by himself.

Of course I LOST a LOT OF MY SHASTA DAISIES FOR THESE BOXES…………….GRRR.

The more I read about the chemicals and what they wash the lettuce in before selling it makes me want to eat OUR OWN FOOD!

He even has SIGNAGE!

I did not NOTICE the plastic bag over the signage when I snapped this photo!

But you know what that is for………..ugly,but hey it is PRACTICAL!

But do we really NEED A SIGN Telling us what we PLANTED?

HE THOUGHT THEY WERE CUTE so I’M GOING WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Checking for the flower that produces the artichoke!

The ITALIAN is now my gardener and WATER BOY ;I am having a hard time with THAT!He loves to cut EVERYTHING BACK even in SPRING when it’s starting to BLOOM!AND he ties plants up that should be CASCADING OVER AND JUST BEING THEMSELVES………….

LOOK AT THIS UGLY CONTRAPTION!Even the plant looks AWFUL.

This was BEAUTIFUL! Sprawling over the dirt everywhere and HE TIES IT UP WITH PLASTIC RIBBON and even puts REBAR’S in to HOLD IT!YOU COULD HAVE HEARD MY GASP OF DISLIKE IN NEW YORK CITY!

He threatens to do MORE TRIMMING to give me a HEART ATTACK if I want to GO SOONER!

HE IS DRIVING ME MAD, MAD ,MAD!

BUT ONLY IN THE GARDEN.

WHO CAN NAME THIS PLANT?

Tell me in the comments and I will answer YOU right or wrong.

Plus,I will tell you if you guessed correctly.

CONTESSA and her DOGGY BETTY!

We gave an EGG HUNT for the TODDLERS on THE COURT this year!

Ages TWO and SOON to be FOUR!

It was coffee and Gluten Free donut holes and pastries for the adults!

WHO KNEW THAT WHOLE FOODS has GLUTEN FREE DONUT HOLES IN THE FREEZER SECTION?

NOT ME!

I could have EATEN THE WHOLE BOX!It has been TWO DECADES SINCE I HAD A DONUT if not longer………THANK YOU ANNIE!

READY FOR THE HUNT…………..

This vintage table I bought in LUCCA ,ITALY at the antique show that is the first weekend of every month!

Anybody know is that STILL A THING?

I put it in my BIG BLACK LUGGAGE which I had bought in KOBE, JAPAN in 1981!

WE STILL HAVE IT!

45 years later……………..of course the table folds down to just the round bit!

I had it in the house for years…………my bet is the SONS WILL TOSS IT!

LINDA, please come and get it and put it up at HEALDSBURG!!

That would make me very happy!

As you can see the EGG HUNT went very well!The little girl would OPEN EACH EGG as she found it and look!Which might explain WHY he has MORE!But NOT BY MUCH!She loved her DRESS which had FLOWERS and BUNNIES on it!I thought the SAND PAILS were more practical than BASKETS for this age group!Then again I did my pre-shopping at THE DOLLAR STORE………….am I the last one to know NOTHING IS A DOLLAR there anymore?!!I did some MASSIVE BUYING for HOME and THIS EVENT only to have been handed a receipt over ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!

TOTALLY WORTH IT………BUT CHANGE THE NAME OF THE G– D– STORE!!!

Before EASTER I had the GRANDCHILD who lives near us for a few hours.In order not to ruin the hunt EXPERIENCE I told her I had HID the EGGS and we would have a PRACTICE RUN for SUNDAY.As I had gotten the EASTER items out to decorate; I thought THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING FUN TO DO WITH HER.

FUN does not even come close to DESCRIBING THE JOY we ALL HAD……………

DO YOU THINK WE SAW THE EASTER BUNNY?!!

EVERY PHOTO THE ITALIAN TOOK I HAD MY MOUTH WIDE OPEN!!!

I know I PROMISED this POST to be of the GARDEN but things aren’t OPENED YET.

Give my garden a couple MORE WEEKS and it should be in BLOOM!

Just back from KAISER with a new LUNG ACCESSORY to do TWICE A DAY!It requires a THREE STEP PROCESS should take less than ten minutes.That is to be done TWICE A DAY.

I choose to go OFF the LATEST HEART MEDICINE which was keeping blood pressure at a good number only because it is not doing ANYTHING TO STRENGTHEN THE HEART says the cardiologist who is covering for mine as she is OUT OF THE OFFICE and no one seems to know when she will be back!

REMEMBER, I discovered ENTRESTO a heart med that has only been around for 11 years and is the ONE I NEED MOST it was the culprit for my cough.I went off it and within 8 days the cough was GONE!I am now back on it and day TWO THE COUGH IS BACK……………….let’s hope the LUNG ACCESSORY and new exercises reduce the mucus and the coughing so I CAN LIVE A NORMAL LIFE AT LEAST WHAT IS LEFT!

I AM SLOWING DOWN AT A FAST RATE NOW……………but they told me THREE years ago I was in CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE so maybe I CAN HOLD OFF THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR THREE MORE YEARS!I just GOOGLED IT.

I probably should have NOT DONE THAT.

“ABOUT 50% of people diagnosed with heart failure die within 5 years.”

SAID MY PHONE.

“Survival rates are higher for younger patients.Those under 65 have roughly a 79% five-year survival rate , compared to about 50% for those 75 and older.

LET’s NOT DO THE MATH HERE EITHER…………….at least I was in the “UNDER 65” range when I was told.

THAT MEANS I HAVE TWO MORE YEARS LEFT to entertain you and SHARE things with YOU.

I ADORE YOU ALL EVEN THOSE OF YOU WHO NEVER COMMENT OR EMAIL.

THIS HAS BEEN A FABULOUS WAY FOR ME TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS over THE YEARS.

I CONNECTED WITH A WOMAN IN LOUISIANA YESTERDAY WHO HAS MY LUNG ISSUES TOO because her friend FOLLOWS MY BLOG and INSTAGRAM.I got some really GOOD information from her and found out THE WOMAN who follows me painted every room in her house CHARTREUSE!!!

MY FAVORITE COLOR!

AS I TOLD MY HUBBY LAST NITE THIS IS SO MUCH FUN FOR ME!

HUGS and XXX’s,

YOUR CONTESSA

KEEP SCROLLING DOWNWARDS TO LEAVE ME A COMMENT.

YOUR COMMENTS MAKE ME VERY HAPPY!

I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT……………I feel like we know each other even though I have never met you!

DONE BY CINDY CELLUCCI BACK IN 1992 when we lived in FLORENCE, ITALY.

FOR FATHER’S DAY.

THOSE WERE THE BEST OF TIMES.

I am feeling a bit MELANCHOLY TODAY.

Seems we are going to OBLITERATE a country TONIGHT!

ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?

I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE AS MOST OF US DONOT STAND WITH HIM!

I don’t think I need to tell YOU what kind of person he is.

YOU CAN EASILY SEE BY HIS ACTIONS AND LIMITED VOCABULARY.

I AM ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED FOR THE WORLD and MY CHILDREN.