Colors of Winter in the Garden

Rosehips

Nandina


Another Nandina


I can't remember...Viburnum?


Wintergreen

Red-flowering currant


Something pink that propagates like mad


Blue....bells?


Not everything pretty is alive....old bee balm

Some weedy grass

Hmm, some sedum I think

Is anything in your yard cheerful right now?

As close to Spring as we're going to get in December

It's been a dry December here in the PNW; in fact, it'll likely be the driest on record. Now, that doesn't mean it's been warm, but we have been able to enjoy a few bright sunny days instead of the usual gloomy grey.


Clover and I hung out in the yard a bit, soaking up the sun.


Planted! The tulips and purple mix are around the yard (and actually, I planted those earlier this month), but all 100 daffodils are now in the tomato planter box by the back door. This will be so great in the spring!!

100 bulbs may seem like a bunch to plant, but scoot on over to my cousin's farm, where they've now planted 100 times as many. Yup, 10,000 daffodils.

Spring Forth Farm Blog

Too Cute

Daffodil season is in full swing, and last week we enjoyed a Daffodil Festival event: the Parade! It was fun to hear all the marching bands and see all the flowery floats. We did miss the float with all the princesses, so here's a photo from the paper.




Saturday afternoon was the Daffodil Boat Parade, which we can enjoy from our front deck. Many little boats go by, all festooned with daffs. The big ship has been anchored there at least a week, and was not part of the parade. One of the boats is decorated as an orca, and is pulling another little boat.

I had been thinking at the parade that my almost-5-year-old niece would enjoy seeing the princesses all dressed up in their golden gowns, and since it's almost her birthday, I set about to get her a Daffodil Princess.

I bought a Standard Disney Princess--the one in yellow with the pink flower.


I ripped off the plastic pink flower, made a little daffodil out of felt and ribbon, and sewed it on. (Thanks for your help, craft night ladies!)


I covered over the Disney Princess Packaging with a Daffodil Princess Float Photo.


Voila!

Bid and It's Yours!

The CHS Mid-Winter Madrigal Silent Auction is coming up, and this shawl I knit will be one of the items up for bidding.

You know you want it!!

It took 600 yards of Jo Sharp DK 100% wool and roughly 27 hours to knit over a period of 70 days. (I looked how much the yarn would cost today--it's $51.) This is the 5th time I've knit this lovely shawl. It's so versatile!



It looks great over a colored shirt.


There are so many ways to wear it!



Pinning it out!


I knit much of this on trips. This is at Houston's George Bush Int'l...


...and Cleveland Hopkins Int'l Airport.

The shawl comes with a photo album of the project in process--see your shawl all over the U.S.! See you at the auction!

Can All My Fridays Be Like This?

Enjoyed the Friday morning field trip for my PNW native plants class.


Bought and planted a vine maple (one of the plants I learned about on the field trip).


Relaxed during a fantastic spring afternoon.

It was a fun, beautiful day of education, yardwork and relaxation!

Birthday Redtwig Dogwood

Yesterday I spent some birthday money on a beautiful shrub, a redtwig dogwood. It's compact, growing only to 2-3 feet tall and wide. Today, I expanded a flower bed in my yard and planted it. I love it!!



It shines in the afternoon sun and is visible from my side windows and is right in front of me when I walk out the back door. Love love love it!!

Oh, I also bought a spurge (euphorbia), but lost the tag already, so I can't give you its full name. Red-stemmed or something.

On the Podium

The question was, could I knit a shawl in slightly more than two weeks?
I cast on the day of the Winter Olympic opening ceremonies, and starting knitting.
I turned on the Olympics, and knit.


I knit at the airport.


I knit in Michigan.


I knit at the hospital, visiting my mom after heart surgery.


I finished knitting Saturday, the day before the closing ceremonies.
I even sewed in the ends.
However, because I did not wash it and pin it out until the following Wednesday (see aforementioned heart surgery), I cannot claim the gold medal in knitting.



I'll just picture myself on the podium.


I love it, and I'm so proud. My O Canada is beautiful.