Frog Catching

We spent our Memorial day at the nearby cemetery/park. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and perfect for frog catching. We did some turtle watching too as the impressive snappers were floating around.
Hoping for a princess perhaps?

The old gravestones are amazing. I couldn't get Eliot into leaf rubbing but maybe I can convince him to do some stone rubbings. I think it could be an impressive art project.

Our makeshift net served us well. All you need is: 1 coat hanger, 1 old laundry bag, one length of embroidery floss (pink), 1 old chair leg, and duck tape as applicable.

A close up garden tour

Today I will take you on a close up tour of my garden. I will try to get more in a broad lens once it comes together a little bit better. I have been doing a lot of digging between bouts of rain and more rain.

Here are the seedlings that are taking over my sewing table. I am going to try to get the little guys hardened off this weekend and in the ground ASAP. They are getting a little leggy.

The lilac in the backyard is just about to explode into bloom. A few little purple blossoms are peeking out here and there. I can't wait to have cuttings around the house.

We have a LOT of iris growing around the yard. There are several varieties and I hope I can successfully transplant them around as they are taking over most of the perennial border.

These guys are outside - a bin of mescalin greens. They are starting to show their true leaves now.

The rather unsightly cages over our gardening boxes are doing their duty. I think the biggest issue we have had has been neighborhood cats. This weekend we should have the rest covered up and probably 80% planted with more greens. I am trying to decide what to do about pumpkins...I think I am going to dig up an area towards the back of the yard and just let them spread out. I suppose anything to minimize mowing is good!

A break in the gardening has meant finishing up the paper mache on the the boat project. It now has holes for the wheels and mast. It is awaiting its coat of white wash. (header picture) I have been ironing and sorting out scraps from the massive amount of quilt squares I was giving. I haven't figured out what to do with them yet.

This picture goes especially to my friend Heather L. The blackberries are certainly rambling around our yard!

Lastly our tree in the front yard is now fully blooming. After trying to figure out what it is it is most certainly some kind of crab apple. Not terribly exciting but the blooms are beautiful and smell terrific.

So I am off to dig some more and hopefully remember to take some pictures along the way.

Spring Beach

A few weeks ago we took care of our niece and got to visit the awesome beach near their home. It was a fun little trip, albeit windy and cool. Can't beat the view from the swing set. I am looking forward to more beach trips soon!

Buttons and Crocus

The crocus were beautiful this year. I love the purple, green and bright yellow centers together. I now have some purple iris coming up in my garden in full force. Eliot has been harvesting mint about every day. He loves the stuff. I figure a little more green food in his diet can't hurt. We hunted down more tea berry, too. I was hopeful that the new shoots would be better flavored but I didn't find them to be much better. Maybe when the berries appear we can use them for something.

Eliot wanted to sew with me recently so we dug out the trusty buttons, embroidery floss and hoop. He spent a lot of time working on stringing and sewing buttons. He then neatly cuts them all off (the best part) and puts it all away. He doesn't need the sense of a final product the same way I do. I should learn from him and be OK with impermanence.

(My favorite needle case - made by the lovely Jenna.)

Belt and Mouse

The Easter Bunny showed up at our house with this little guy. She came out a lot more grandmotherly and classy than the country mouse I had envisioned. I guess you never know where things will take you. She was a late night (for me anything past 8:30 is late) sew that came together remarkably well - granted it's a cone with ears ;).

I don't generally post post up pictures of myself but one of my other projects over the winter was weight loss. After 4.5 years I am finally back to my pre-pre-baby weight. Lost 20lbs and 3 pant sizes. Time for another hole in the belt. Our yard is sunny and green now - I am due for a new family portrait at the new house.

Bangor

We took a trip up to Bangor to visit some of Kevin's family. Kevin's cousin is a fire fighter! Eliot was so excited to have the whole fire house to himself. He even got to climb in a police car and push buttons. What a memory.

First Harvest

There certainly is a backlog of posting to be done around here. A little spring blog writing along with the flurry of garden and craft activity in our parts. I can't decide if I should start now and work backward so it may be a mixed up catch up week.
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The weather seems like it has turned to spring and we have been spending as much time outside as possible. The light has definitely changed to a warmer hue, especially in the mornings.

I look forward to early weekend mornings getting my hands in the dirt. I will make this 1/4 acre productive! So far we have some perennials coming up from the previous owners including the chives below. Lots of mint is also sprouting up as expected. I planted a largish pot of mescalin greens and tons of seeds have been started. I am anxious to get trees and grape arbors, berries, hazelnuts...

The future garden will be neatly in three 4'x8' boxes. We have most of the gear (chicken wire to keep out pests) etc ready to go. I am ordering compost this week and we will be ready to plant! Most of my energy has been going towards this lately but I have managed to keep a few craft projects at the ready for a moment with clean hands and worn out feet.

Early morning tea outside watching the birds is about the most relaxing thing I can think of to do.