At last, a warmer weekend!

After Mass today, we stopped by a store with a garden area......and some new gardens dreams were begun!

I tied up my wild curly hair because of the wind....put on old clothes and got the newly purchased seeds and plants around to the garden!

In the tradition of a real amateur (lazy?) gardener, ....these seeds were simply sown on the top of containers from last summer, after I pulled out the dead, dried remains of last year's garden dreams!

We will just watch and see if anything interesting grows and flourishes from these seeds!

I especially like the pink flower seed mix, which says that pink garden flowers represent tranquility and romance! A good dream!

On the other hand, the velvet red variety of 5-foot tall sunflowers, should make a striking statement! If they come up and thrive!

This basil plant can't go in the ground for a few weeks....we still have lots of freezing nights!

I brought home an unusual petunia...Which has blossoms that seem to be painted by a watercolor artist! ....And lemon yellow snapdragons which can take a bit of cool weather, (I may have to bring the petunias In at night for a while...or cover them!)

I'm trying to get this bird bath leveled...after planting some of the yellow snapdragons around the feet! I love blue and yellow together! Those broken blue tiles give me stepping stones and keep the bird bath from sinking into the soil!

Strawberries might work....?......worth a try! This variety, "Tristan", has intense pink flowers! Nice ground cover even if I don't get fruit!

Sweet mint was planted today in this large crumbling pot. The bottom of the pot is now a backdrop for the mint! A green man planter looks on! Mint will be great in the cucumber, yogurt, red onion salad which I love!

I think that about covers the new beauties. Some old friends from years gone by have come back, once again, inspite of the really hard winter which we have had....

Periwinkle or vinca is in bloom!

These hyacinths are attracting many bees, already!

Three kinds of daffodils are nodding their heads and bouncing in the wind....blurry may photos result...

 

These succulent "hens and chicks" survived all winter under the deck without water. Once I brought them out, a few weeks ago, and gave them sunshine and water, they have been very happy. (A gift frommy friend Gayle!

The lavender and the lemon drop are back!

 

So, after all the work involved.....a garden is a nice place to sit in the sun!

 

A busy fun week

 First,  I was in the mood to bake.  Gluten free lemon pound cake.

   1 package Bob's Red Mill Gluten free Vanilla Cake Mix
   4 eggs
   1/2 + 2 T. coconut oil
   1/3 c lemon juice
   2 T. lemon zest
   1 1/2 c, plain yogurt

Have all ingredients at room temperature. The coconut oil should be warm enough to be liquid.
combine liquid coconut oil with cake mix. blend carefully.
Add other ingredients.
Pour into a small bundt pan which had been coated with cooking spray.

Bake for about 1 hour.  until cake tests "done".


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No iron dresses sewn for the twin granddaughters.....above simple play dresses.

Below, prissy dresses for little almost 3 year old cuties!  Perhaps they will love twirling in these!

I was so happy to find the ribbon flower trims already to sew on at the fabric store where I work!

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Last Saturday was a day long Q.U.I.L.T. guild event.  We brought our sewing machines and other tools.

All day we sewed and visited, making quilts for local charities!

Janice sews a label on each one we finish.....

Maria and Lovina get started on the day's work and fellowship!

Adele and guild president, "Queen Kathy" share a laugh!

Pat sews one of several which she completed!

Below, my day's work.  I had used men's shirts from the thrift store, washed, pressed, and cut into 4.5 inch squares the night before.  That gave me a head start!

I worked in some sailboat fabric and grey fabric sashing or lattice between the 4 patch blocks.
So calm and peaceful, but still masculine.  I brought it home and added a light batting, and a flannel back with blue stars.  machine quilted in the lattice and then tied with perle cotton in the center of each 4 patch block.
Now we are collecting more donated fabric for our next all day sew in!

Spring brings ...Garden dreams

Here is a kindred spirit in an old photo from 1925....found on Pinterest.

Maybe wishful thinking.......here is the garden corner right now......being cleaned out.

The soil needs help.....though I did find earthworms (yeah!) as I turned over the soil....time to add compost.

In a perfect world, I would be making my own compost too.....!!! Someday....

Raking away the blanket of leaves, I find cilantro seedlings! Planted last September, these plants like cold!

They seem to be a good omen!

So, encouraged, I order a kit for another raised bed. I will fill it with the layers of newspaper, leaves, garden soil, grass clippings, etc. to make another small "lasagna garden".

I will sow the seeds for my favorite lettuce...and those pink flowers too!

And one day, I can put myself into this photo....then garden dreams will have come true!

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Now, I must confess, one reason for ordering the raised bed kit was to get free shipping on some yarn in a color which I can't find locally....

Lime green ( or SPRING green?), a shade not too harsh, not too pastel and in sport weight. To add to my granny squares...

They just seem to be missing that wonderful shade of green. Or maybe I just think so, as spring green is seasonal now?

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I do have lots of sewing going on too. Here is the latest quilt top....fun, yes?

Lovely cake, in spite of snow.....spring sewing underway too!

Above, wishful thinking! Though we have had a week of sunshine....the flowers are delayed!

This beautiful yellow cake reminds me of daffodils which are usually in full bloom by now.....the recipe is HERE .

Snow again today though surely it will be short lived?!? I was cleaning out flower beds yesterday, seeing my peonies sticking up their noses....and daffodils in bud.  Back inside today!

My pansies don't mind the cold!

Inside here fabric is ready to become spring dresses for the granddaughters....

         
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Because warm weather will come again, my friend and recent house guest, Tracie, bought me a sun umbrella as a thank-you! ....beautiful and "patchworky", I love it! [Lots of purple too!]

While she was here, Tracie shared her birthday bouquet with us.....her son chose this for her!

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My handwork this weekend includes doing big stitch quilting with perle cotton on this "3 generation quilt".
My grandmother pieced some flower garden blocks from her scrap bag (some fabrics from the early 1900's....other fabrics up to the 1940's!)
I found the green print background fabric for my mother to use as she appliqued the blocks with embroidery floss and a blanket stitch.
Now, that Grandma and Mom are gone and it is my turn, to quilt and bind this treasure!

         
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Last, but not a sure thing, unless a sale comes along.......this pintucked shirt from Anthropologie....

...the indigo shibori dying is already done...and the shirt is already sewn......WOW!
.....hmmmm.....

Back to cutting out size 3 toddler dresses now!

Catching up!

First of all, the recipient of the orange, dreamsicle quilt which I posted about earlier....

..it was a group project by members of our guild, for Lovina. It was only a day away from Lovina's birthday and a few days before she was to have surgery! She is tired here....but loving the quilt!

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I Finished knitting 2 little sweaters for the twin granddaughters.... Bright pink!

Sent them last week and they were wearing them immediately! Yeah!

Here in a group photo with other sets of twins...only one a boy who seems overwhelmed! They are 2.5 years old...

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We have a house guest this week, my dear friend, Tracie who is moving to Austen, TX. I am helping her clear out her house, which sold last month in 3 days.....a good sign that this move is right for her, after 30 years of living in this home!

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Finally, our son Andrew is friends with a talented photographer. They both do rock climbing and camping.

So, we we delighted to learn that this photo of our Andrew, is page 26 of the Patagonia spring catalog.

Fun! Andrew is a chiropractor with a new practice in Boise and a young family, so he really doesn't get out into the mountains very often, though it is one of his passions!

So, of course, I have requested a copy of the catalog from Patagonia customer service!