Daffodils blooming in the ground and in the flower pots show that spring is here. Flowering plum blossoms, with their beautiful pink flowers, are opening to the longer days. Blue hyacinths and grape hyacinths bloom. I would go out and take pictures to illustrate this post except for one major un-Spring like thing--a blast of cold air is coming at us from Canada. Rain, mixed with snow and snowflakes are predicted for tomorrow and Saturday.
It is so cold that I just want to hunker in front of the space heaters.
Girl Scout cookies are another sign of spring. Two boxes of Thin Mints--my absolute all-time cookie favorite have arrived and disappeared. (I definitely cannot eat just one Thin Mint!
Another sign of spring is cleaning! I am rearranging the middle, and smallest, bedroom in my house to be a true sewing and crafts studio. This involves a lot of packing and hauling things from one part of the house to another. Then unpacking and inventory work is completed.
Far more fabric has emerged than I would ever have thought that I had, saved for decades. Books that came home from graduate school and were neatly stowed beneath the bed await disposal in the garage. (Either the local library for their on-going friends sale or the Salvation Army will receive the books, I hope.)
Less yarn than I thought that I had has emerged--guess I've knitted most of it and don't really have a stash-exceeding-life-expectancy after all!
It is a good day to re-do my Etsy shop, which I have been re-arranging, read blogs and research recipes. Spring will come. In the meantime, I am grateful that it isn't any colder than it is! Praying also for no power outages, like the one that hit Toledo earlier in the week as a result of an ice storm.
Stay warm and dry everyone!
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, April 19, 2010
Today's Garden
Today as I opened the front door to put something out for the mailman, I spotted the first big red rose of the year. Up high and so beautiful. It is now on my kitchen counter. It does not seem to have the perfume that earlier roses have had--I think it is telling me to feed it.
It drew me back, camera at the ready and garden scissors tucked into my pocket, as surely as if it were calling to me. I took the first photo to document it in place. The second is close-up indoors.
Finally, a close-up on the kitchen counter.
Next I noticed the purple shamrock--oxalis.
Another
and finally
The purple leaves amaze and delight me, since I grew up thinking that leaves should be green.
Last, just because it is so happy there is the "regular" shamrock--green leaves with white flowers.
For a plant that came home from the grocery store several years ago, it's not doing too badly. An amaryllis that was about to flower probably won't, since it has been seriously chewed.
Still, I am grateful for things that are blooming and for the chance to poke my nose out into fresh air and some sunshine before the gathering clouds bring rain tomorrow and keep me indoors. Happy Spring!
It drew me back, camera at the ready and garden scissors tucked into my pocket, as surely as if it were calling to me. I took the first photo to document it in place. The second is close-up indoors.
Finally, a close-up on the kitchen counter.
Next I noticed the purple shamrock--oxalis.
Another
and finally
The purple leaves amaze and delight me, since I grew up thinking that leaves should be green.
Last, just because it is so happy there is the "regular" shamrock--green leaves with white flowers.
For a plant that came home from the grocery store several years ago, it's not doing too badly. An amaryllis that was about to flower probably won't, since it has been seriously chewed.
Still, I am grateful for things that are blooming and for the chance to poke my nose out into fresh air and some sunshine before the gathering clouds bring rain tomorrow and keep me indoors. Happy Spring!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Easter Roses
As the first week of Easter progresses, I am celebrating with roses roses brought by a friend. My own rose bushes have buds, so I know there will be flowers soon. (High up on the backyard bush the first roses are blooming.)
There is a sweet, faint odor of roses in the dining room that proclaims Spring is here! I have truly the worst case of cabin fever/spring fever that I have had in years. (I almost typed Spring fervor, and I think that would be a fortuitous typo. It has been cold, dank and dreary for too long--even though we did need the rain.)
I am grateful for Spring and for roses.
There is a sweet, faint odor of roses in the dining room that proclaims Spring is here! I have truly the worst case of cabin fever/spring fever that I have had in years. (I almost typed Spring fervor, and I think that would be a fortuitous typo. It has been cold, dank and dreary for too long--even though we did need the rain.)
I am grateful for Spring and for roses.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Where Did Spring Go?
The roses are blooming along with the calendula. The lavender is in bud and will soon be blooming. The rosemary is flowering and doing it's usual thing of trying to grow enough to take over the county or at least the yard. The cold weather has returned.
The sky is grey and darkly overcast. Drizzle is trying to turn into rain and I wish it would pour. On the other hand, I can be grateful that it isn't thundering and lightning. This house was not built for those kinds of storms, the real flash bang boom storms of the mid-West. I would not be sitting at the computer in that kind of storm. (I would probably be cowering over my knitting or trying to read a book.)
The roses like cooler weather. I have noticed over the years that the colors are always deeper and the flowers last longer on the bush when it is cold to cool. So loving the roses as I do, I will try not to complain. Just hunker under polar fleece in front of the electric heater and give thanks for my technological and electronic blessings. (Even the polarfleece is hi-tech, made, as it is from recycled plastic bottles! I have always thought this is a real hoot.)
It is a good day for domesticity, since the laundry needs doing and for "zazzling"--learning my way around Zazzle and figuring out how to do things there. I've been there for two years, just never developed it and I know that the items are lovely and they do a good job of printing. I just am overwhelmed by the amount of time it will take to develop this and not very good at self-promotion. Oh to have wings and to fly. (Or even just be as mobile as I was a while ago and get out of my house more.)
Cabin fever is showing in this post, so I will be grateful that at least I have not needed to contend with snow and have been outside in the fresh air from time to time. I wish everyone a lovely Sunday in the Easter season that is all too quickly going away. Soon it will be back to "ordinary time". Is there such a thing, really?
The sky is grey and darkly overcast. Drizzle is trying to turn into rain and I wish it would pour. On the other hand, I can be grateful that it isn't thundering and lightning. This house was not built for those kinds of storms, the real flash bang boom storms of the mid-West. I would not be sitting at the computer in that kind of storm. (I would probably be cowering over my knitting or trying to read a book.)
The roses like cooler weather. I have noticed over the years that the colors are always deeper and the flowers last longer on the bush when it is cold to cool. So loving the roses as I do, I will try not to complain. Just hunker under polar fleece in front of the electric heater and give thanks for my technological and electronic blessings. (Even the polarfleece is hi-tech, made, as it is from recycled plastic bottles! I have always thought this is a real hoot.)
It is a good day for domesticity, since the laundry needs doing and for "zazzling"--learning my way around Zazzle and figuring out how to do things there. I've been there for two years, just never developed it and I know that the items are lovely and they do a good job of printing. I just am overwhelmed by the amount of time it will take to develop this and not very good at self-promotion. Oh to have wings and to fly. (Or even just be as mobile as I was a while ago and get out of my house more.)
Cabin fever is showing in this post, so I will be grateful that at least I have not needed to contend with snow and have been outside in the fresh air from time to time. I wish everyone a lovely Sunday in the Easter season that is all too quickly going away. Soon it will be back to "ordinary time". Is there such a thing, really?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Spring Fever in January
I think the temperature hit seventy this afternoon. I spent two hours outside keeping a friend company while she whacked a large bush at my front gate. Hurray! This is one of those projects that I have been wanting to see done for so long that I can't remember and I am almost ready to "cry for happy."
The sun is shining in. I am sitting here with my knitted hat off for the first time in at least two months and the knitted wristers aren't necessary to type. Sun shines in the window and music plays on the headset.
It wasn't until I was outside that I realized just how cranky I had become from being inside for so long. The days are also lengthening and a bit more sunshine helps so much.
The garage is too full, much too full. What does one do with an old "mangle" ironing machine? There was a time when I could whiz through much of our household ironing sitting in front of that machine. The beautiful mahogany cabinet that, fortunately, has been covered since Papa put it out there was so full of stuff that my friend could not budge it. It now awaits the summer when she will return from sailing. I would so like to retrofit it as a media cabinet for the living room.
There are bicycles, old wheelchairs, a cedar armoire and a blanket chest as well as a child's crib all neatly tucked away and helping to fill a space that for decades actually held a 1955 Chevy Bel Air two door sedan--slightly smashed by a falling tree limb as we drove home from Mass one Sunday. Five minutes one way or the other and the tree would have missed us. Such is life's timing!
The Chevy has moved on to a new owner who is happily restoring it. I would like to see a few more items move out this year. Maybe having the central space of the garage as a space is a goal for 2009; modest sounding but more daunting than it seems.
I am grateful for time spent outside, for that bush moving on, for my friend's help and I will be grateful when there is less stuff in my garage!
The sun is shining in. I am sitting here with my knitted hat off for the first time in at least two months and the knitted wristers aren't necessary to type. Sun shines in the window and music plays on the headset.
It wasn't until I was outside that I realized just how cranky I had become from being inside for so long. The days are also lengthening and a bit more sunshine helps so much.
The garage is too full, much too full. What does one do with an old "mangle" ironing machine? There was a time when I could whiz through much of our household ironing sitting in front of that machine. The beautiful mahogany cabinet that, fortunately, has been covered since Papa put it out there was so full of stuff that my friend could not budge it. It now awaits the summer when she will return from sailing. I would so like to retrofit it as a media cabinet for the living room.
There are bicycles, old wheelchairs, a cedar armoire and a blanket chest as well as a child's crib all neatly tucked away and helping to fill a space that for decades actually held a 1955 Chevy Bel Air two door sedan--slightly smashed by a falling tree limb as we drove home from Mass one Sunday. Five minutes one way or the other and the tree would have missed us. Such is life's timing!
The Chevy has moved on to a new owner who is happily restoring it. I would like to see a few more items move out this year. Maybe having the central space of the garage as a space is a goal for 2009; modest sounding but more daunting than it seems.
I am grateful for time spent outside, for that bush moving on, for my friend's help and I will be grateful when there is less stuff in my garage!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tuesday of Holy Week
Today is the third day of Holy Week counting from Sunday. Sunday I decided to try an experiment and not turn on the tv for an entire week. This was prompted in part by the fact that it is Holy Week and it seemed like silence would be a great way to observe it, especially silence from the naysayers nattering negatively about the news and the obnoxious, tasteless, in-my-face and always loud commercials.
In addition, I was watching something on Saturday night that had a particularly, gruesome and unsettling image that I had difficulty shaking before I went to sleep. It prompted a bad dream of its own--very different, but still not the way to wake up on a Sunday morning. The benefit of having had an old tv with a crummy picture was that I was using it like radio and didn't see the disturbing images.
So far I have slept better (and longer)without the tv on than with it on. I have knitted in the quiet of my own mind and space unfettered by whatever is going on in the outside world. Today will be day three of my experiment.
It is a good day, this Tuesday, a bit on the chilly side but bright and sunny. The trees are leafing out and the daffodils are gone. In two days it will be officially Spring, but I think the warmth of spring may be late this year even here in California.
Finally, my doctor, bless her came through and everything was done electronically that needed to be done. Now if I could send in my blood electronically to be tested....Or better yet have the kind of scanner that Dr. Crusher had on STNG, and just upload to the computer the way that we upload photos. Virtual medicine for a virtual world. Someday we may eat that way too! (That is a penitential thought!)
In addition, I was watching something on Saturday night that had a particularly, gruesome and unsettling image that I had difficulty shaking before I went to sleep. It prompted a bad dream of its own--very different, but still not the way to wake up on a Sunday morning. The benefit of having had an old tv with a crummy picture was that I was using it like radio and didn't see the disturbing images.
So far I have slept better (and longer)without the tv on than with it on. I have knitted in the quiet of my own mind and space unfettered by whatever is going on in the outside world. Today will be day three of my experiment.
It is a good day, this Tuesday, a bit on the chilly side but bright and sunny. The trees are leafing out and the daffodils are gone. In two days it will be officially Spring, but I think the warmth of spring may be late this year even here in California.
Finally, my doctor, bless her came through and everything was done electronically that needed to be done. Now if I could send in my blood electronically to be tested....Or better yet have the kind of scanner that Dr. Crusher had on STNG, and just upload to the computer the way that we upload photos. Virtual medicine for a virtual world. Someday we may eat that way too! (That is a penitential thought!)
Friday, February 29, 2008
More Bolani Recipes
The other day, I discovered some bolani in my freezer that I hadn't eaten yet. Since it is nearing the end of the month, it is time to scrounge for what is on hand and use it creatively rather than to buy more. So I pulled out the pumpkin bolani and heated it in my large skillet with a little canola oil. It crisped up around the edges and smelt absolutely wonderful. With a drizzle of honey and a scoop of plain yogurt it was like having dessert for lunch. Delicious!
Then I realized there were spinach bolani in the freezer as well. Warmed up the same way and topped with freshly sauted (in canola again) mushrooms and parmesan cheese this was another wonderful combination. I should probably team up with these folks to write a booklet on how to use their marvelous products. (Another idea. I don't need more ideas!)
February has been a slow month, colder than usual and I am glad that tomorrow is the beginning of March--I hope it will be better all around for everyone whom I know who has been struggling through February.
The daffodils, tulips and hyacinths have lightened the burden of February. Spring is coming. Easter will soon be here. The flowering plum trees are blooming. Hope is in the air with the promise of the Resurrection. I hope that I do not hope in vain. Hope is akin to gratitude. Perhaps if we do not hope we cannot be grateful. I am grateful for spring and for quiet time to try to work on the myriad of projects I have started. Perhaps some will finally be completed this year.
Then I realized there were spinach bolani in the freezer as well. Warmed up the same way and topped with freshly sauted (in canola again) mushrooms and parmesan cheese this was another wonderful combination. I should probably team up with these folks to write a booklet on how to use their marvelous products. (Another idea. I don't need more ideas!)
February has been a slow month, colder than usual and I am glad that tomorrow is the beginning of March--I hope it will be better all around for everyone whom I know who has been struggling through February.
The daffodils, tulips and hyacinths have lightened the burden of February. Spring is coming. Easter will soon be here. The flowering plum trees are blooming. Hope is in the air with the promise of the Resurrection. I hope that I do not hope in vain. Hope is akin to gratitude. Perhaps if we do not hope we cannot be grateful. I am grateful for spring and for quiet time to try to work on the myriad of projects I have started. Perhaps some will finally be completed this year.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Oh Happy Spring!
Daffodils from my yard and tulips from the Farmer's Market adorn the end of my kitchen counter. The sun shines in and Spring is truly here!
A few years ago (probably four) I was able to buy a quantity of daffodil bulbs from a neighbor who had gotten a bag of 100 from Costco. (The marvel of Costco combined with the wonder of the Internet--our neighborhood email list.) The bulbs bloomed perfectly, with flowers as large as the saucers that match my Mama's good teacups. Their first blooming season coincided with my purchase of a digital camera.
At the same time my young friend M, then a freshman in High School, was taking a photography class. She photographed my flowers with my camera. One shot stood out and I labeled it, "Perfect Daffodil".
The next year I began tinkering with cafepress and learning how to place my designs on their templates. One of my first designs was, "Daffodils, Oh Happy Spring", which is also available in Spanish as "Daffodils, Feliz Verano". Here it is on a mug
It is available on other items as well and when I checked it this morning I realized that I need to update more products to it (or should that be it to more products?) Anyway, I do hope that folks will check it out. Spring is coming and this is a perfect way to celebrate it! Thanks so much. I am so grateful for the beauty of the flowers, the warmer weather coming and all of my customers.
A few years ago (probably four) I was able to buy a quantity of daffodil bulbs from a neighbor who had gotten a bag of 100 from Costco. (The marvel of Costco combined with the wonder of the Internet--our neighborhood email list.) The bulbs bloomed perfectly, with flowers as large as the saucers that match my Mama's good teacups. Their first blooming season coincided with my purchase of a digital camera.
At the same time my young friend M, then a freshman in High School, was taking a photography class. She photographed my flowers with my camera. One shot stood out and I labeled it, "Perfect Daffodil".
The next year I began tinkering with cafepress and learning how to place my designs on their templates. One of my first designs was, "Daffodils, Oh Happy Spring", which is also available in Spanish as "Daffodils, Feliz Verano". Here it is on a mug
It is available on other items as well and when I checked it this morning I realized that I need to update more products to it (or should that be it to more products?) Anyway, I do hope that folks will check it out. Spring is coming and this is a perfect way to celebrate it! Thanks so much. I am so grateful for the beauty of the flowers, the warmer weather coming and all of my customers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
