The weather here is finally starting to feel like spring has arrived. I hope you are feeling and seeing spring in your area now! Thank you again for your input on wallpaper for the guest bath and the mini-mudroom here in the Dollhouse. The samples I ordered for the mudroom arrived, and I’m not totally sold on those. I’ve ordered a sample of the whimsical Harrison Howard Night in India “Dawn” paper to try here in the guest bath. As soon as it arrives, I’ll share my plans for that room, along with how the sample looks. If you missed that previous post where I shared some of the wallpapers I’m considering for the guest bath and mini-mudroom, you’ll find that post here: Whimsical Wallpaper for My Guest Bath and Mini-Mudroom.
It’s baseball season here, and my grandsons are busy with games and practices almost every night. A few nights ago, I arrived back home from one of their games and couldn’t believe what I was seeing as I made my way down the driveway toward the garage. Have you ever had Mallard Ducks visit your birdfeeder?!
A wily raccoon visits my feeder almost every night, and since the feeder shuts down if he climbs on it, he has devised a plan where he climbs the tree and shakes the seed out onto the ground. Somehow, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard found the seed!
I can’t imagine where they came from since I don’t think there’s a lake nearby. They didn’t seem to notice my SUV when I pulled in, so I stopped and turned off the engine to capture a few photos. They are sooo pretty! Have you ever had ducks visit your backyard feeder? 
Garden Question: I have a pretty flowing hedge that runs the entire length of one side of my home. It just started flowering, and it’s so pretty! I would love to know the name of this shrub.
Here’s a closer view. Do you recognize it? I think it may be creating the wonderful scent I’ve been smelling whenever I open my front door, since the hedge is just a few feet away. If it is, it smells wonderful!
Changing gears—over the years, I’ve been asked several times about the scalloped coverlet I use year-round on my bed. I have two, so I always have a backup when one is in the wash. I purchased both from HomeGoods many years ago and still love them for my bed.
As I was shopping online this past week, I came across this beautiful coverlet. The reviews look really good, so I thought I’d share it in case you’re one of the lovely folks who asked about my coverlet. This one would be beautiful for spring/summer and is available in a lot of pretty colors. I love the white, but the other colors are great, too. If you need a new coverlet for spring, you’ll find this one available here: Coverlet with 2 Shams.
If you recently jumped on the amazing sale I found (and blogged about) for a 45-piece set of Napoleon Bee Flatware, you may love a set of these, too. I purchased this Napoleon, 4-piece assorted spoon set quite a while back and have used them for all sorts of things. I also love the iced tea spoons. Can’t recommend this pattern highly enough! I love it for everyday use! You’ll find these additional supplemental pieces available here: 4-Piece Assorted Spoons and Set of 4 Iced Tea Spoons.
Just finished this puzzle last week, and it was so much fun! Can you tell I’m craving warm weather?! If you need a puzzle to put you in the mood for the warm days ahead, you’ll find this one available here: Beautiful Puzzle for Spring.
Happy Spring and Happy Easter! I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend!
I believe your shrubs are lilac bushes.
I believe your plant is Viburnum. Have a wonderful Easter!
That’s what I thought at first glance! But wouldn’t it be too early for them to be blooming? My mom’s always bloomed in summer. My guess was lilac.
our Korean spice viburnum blooms early, and looks exactly like this. I suspect it’s one of the viburnum spice varieties. lilac comes later and smells slightly different (and has a conical flower head instead of this dome shape)
I think it’s arrowwood viburnum. The leaves always give viburnum away.
Love the coverlet! I will be checking them out. I tried to comment earlier about your hedge, but not sure it went through. I think it is lilacs….how lucky you are to have that delightful scent just outside your door.
My son has lilacs in his backyard and they smell wonderful. I think they are a different color. Would be amazing if these are lilacs! Thanks, Suzanne!
I think they come in 2-3 colors. Once you are familiar with them, the scent is unmistakable. My daughter lives near a famous lilac garden in Illinois, and in Michigan, where I live, there is a lilac festival on Mackinac Island. It’s too early for them to be blooming here, but I think you are not as far north.
I think the lilacs may bloom later in the summer. I hope I have some in my yard somewhere.
In my part of Michigan we might see them in late May or early June. I’m going to retract my guess of lilac for your shrub and go back to my first hunch of viburnum based on the input from other readers. You could upload your photo to Google image. My husband uses some website to identify stuff all the time; unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the site.
This is just a guess but could your hedge be a type of spirea?
The white coverlet is beautiful.
Your shrubs are Korean Spice Viburnum! They bloom here in northern IL right after the forsythia. I absolutely love the fragrance!!
My PictureThis app IDs your shrub as:
Koreanspice viburnum
Also known as: Arrowwood, Korean spice viburnum
Genus: Viburnum – Viburnum
Family: Adoxaceae – Moschatel
Thanks, Elisa!
Susan, at a former home, I put squirrel food out in a tray in front of my patio doors. Not only did squirrels come to eat, I had a female duck and two mallards come every evening to eat the squirrel food during spring and summer. Also, a couple rabbits would come to eat. It was fun to watch all the activity. There were ponds on the nearby golf course, where I think the ducks spent most of their time.
Aww, love that! I’ve seen bunnies in my front and back yard. They are sooo cute!
Looks like a shrub from the Viburnum family
They are not lilacs. I agree with the viburnum. Mine is just blooming now and I can smell the fragrance as soon as I step outside.
I think you’re right!
They are Carlisi viburnums. The fragrance is intoxicating. Love, love them.
Lucky you.
They smell amazing!
Your shrub looks like Carlesii (Spice Baby)Viburnum.
Ahhh, thanks! Love how they smell!
Happy Easter.They are Korean Spice Viburnum. They do smell wonderful.I never had mallards in a bird feeder but when I lived on the river they would come and splash around the top of the winter pool cover.
They do! I love the scent! I bet that was fun to watch!
Definitely viburnum. Lilacs are cone shaped bunches. Viburnum has a delightful scent and has a more mophead shape.
Awww, gotcha! I do love how they smell!
I believe your shrubs are Mexican Orange Blossoms. You can look it up and will see the shape of the leaves and flowers match. I have some blooming in my yard right now and they do smell wonderful!
I use a free app called Seek that was developed by iNaturalist to identify plants, insects and other animals. With Seek’s image recognition, I looked at the photo on your blog and it confirmed Korean Spice Viburnum. Using Seek is a fun way to begin to learn and explore nature in your local area.
Susan, we have Mallards in our yard frequently because they eat the seed that blows from our feeders. We’ve even been chosen as a nesting site for a pair of Mallards. It was so interesting to observe as mama Mallard hatched 12 ducklings. They would need access to water but even a small pond will do. You might want to check around to be sure there’s not a pond within 2 or 3 streets behind your house. We have a large drainage pond with a fountain behind our house. It’s a lovely view and is perfect for raising a family of wild Mallard ducks. Our state wildlife person told me they are considered wild Mallards even though they’ve adapted to be in close proximity to humans.
A very happening post. I LOVE everything. The coverlet sent me on a two hour chase yesterday. I have a twin bed and the colors I wanted are not available, hence searching the web for hours. Thank you for sharing so many interesting and fun items. I hope you had a blessed Easter.
Looks like mine…viburnam…I ❤️ it!! Usually “force”
branches indoors…the fragrance is divine. franki