For the Love of Green

Spring officially begins for me with the first sightings of our beautiful crocuses and snowdrops which surround our house.  It doesn't matter what the calendar tells me, these little harbingers of the coming season, signify that our landscape is slowly but surely waking up.  In a matter of weeks, everything will be green!

I simply had to go outside early this morning to cut a few dozen snowdrops from the sloping glade behind our house.  There are literally thousands upon thousands of snowdrops surrounding our home, that bringing in a few dozen feels like nothing.  

With a pair of sharp scissors and a small basket, I gathered as many delicate snowdrops as I could, and began making small arrangements.

Spring is a very good time for me to dust off and wash my beautiful collection of jadeite (jadite) glass, because it looks absolutely wonderful on the dining table, in my kitchen cabinets and on the counter.  This alluring green glass happens to be in one of my favorite shades of green.    

What you must understand is that I don't always display my green glass.  I tend to reserve it for spring, summer, and a few times during winter (especially around Christmas!).  I can also be picky about the type of jadeite I allow in my house.  It has to be American made bar none, and it has to be from either the 1940s-1960s, or from the millennium.  I have yet to add any contemporary jadeite that is currently being made in Ohio.        

(Side Note:  the color green has been my favorite ever since I can remember.  From an early age, I gravitated toward green things.  Mom says that I always had to have things in green.  Toys, clothing, pens and markers, book bags, bedsheets....you name it! She's so right.  When I turned six years old, I remember requesting a "green party".  I wanted everything in the color green; from the birthday cake, the presents and what I was going to wear that day.  Mom, being the indulgent parent that she was and is, made sure I had what I wanted.  To this day, the color green seems perfect to my mind.)

I haven't mentioned little Henry in a while, but he is growing.  From week to week he seems just a little bit bigger, a little bit heavier, and just a tad more adorable.  He is very curious about every single thing that goes on in our home.  

Naturally, this morning's flower arranging had to be inspected by Henry.  He carefully walked around the flowers, smelling each bunch and dipping his nose from vessel to vessel.  Henry approved of the snowdrops! 

I can't wait to start using my Fire King restaurant ware from the 1950s in the coming weeks.  My heavy cups and saucers are ready to be filled with some delicious coffee for an early breakfast, the berry bowls are set to hold a fresh-from-the-oven biscuit or scone, my Fire King double egg cups are just the thing for fresh eggs from my neighbor's hen house, and the salad and dinner plates can soon hold any number of sandwiches, pasta salads or desserts that I know I'll be making.  

Are you ready for Spring and all of the green that is coming with it?