You think it's time?  These tomato plants are still in a 6-pack!!!  See the baby tomatoes?

 

Hahaha!!  We have already planted all the tomato plants we are going to plant, so if anybody wants these, they are available.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Now we know, there is a word for it.  ;)

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

It is so satisfying to start and finish a project!!!  I think I showed you this quilt a couple months ago.  Well, it is back from the quilter, looking gorgeous.  I finished the binding, and sewed the label on the back, and it is finished.  I made it for our granddaughter, Brooke.  

 

Brooke will graduate with her Bachelor's degree in August, a week before she turns 21.  She is quite a goal setter, and a motivated young lady.  She wants to take a year off to work, so that she can afford to pursue her Master's degree in nursing, then go on to become a Physician Assistant.  Do NOT get in her way, because she is bound and determined.

 

Anyway, this quilt is titled Sails at Sunset;  we know that she is sailing into the direction of her dreams.  

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

I haven't seen these in a few years, but the other day when we were walking the loop I spotted this whole patch of Butterfly peas.  For you loop-walkers:  The patch is at the top of Clifford's Hill, across from the fence full of bittersweet.

 

The coolest thing is this:  as I was reading the Baker Creek Seed Catalog one day, I saw Butterfly pea seeds for sale.  Who knew?  I figured they were a local wildflower.  Well, apparently they are a specialty plant that people grow in their cottage gardens.  Pretty neat, huh?

 

And we have them right here in our neighborhood.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

That same day in the park, we saw several milkweeds blooming.  That makes me happy too, because I know that the Monarchs will use them for their host plants.  They will lay eggs, and their caterpillars will feed on the leaves until they are ready to cocoon.  

 

I hope you get to see mildweed where you live, knowing that the Monarchs will be coming soon.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

 

Walking in the park the other day, I spotted a tiny patch of Indian Pipes.  You know they have no chlorophyll, and they come up when it's been really wet.  So I was kinda looking for them.  Well, here they are in the park.

 

When we got home, I went looking for them in our woods and found a couple colonies.  That makes me so happy.  

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Here is a really cool wildflower in our area: Fire-pink.  Pink, because they are in the Carnation family. 

 

We transplanted these plants about ten years ago, and they continue to thrive here in our wild garden. The best part is:  they grow next to our orange lilies.  SO PRETTY!!!

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

We went for our walk yesterday, and as we were coming down the hill, I heard a baby deer cry.  I knew the sound, because we've heard it so many times before.  When we got around the curve we saw a tiny fawn in the road.  So we approached slowly.  Momma was there and didn't seem too worried about our presence.

 

She moved away, and we were able to see that there were two babies.  They had just been born.  The fawns were very interested in us, and actually let Sheri touch them.  When we were ready to move on, one of them wanted to follow us.  NO!!!  We had to run away, so they wouldn't follow us.  It was interesting.  We wanted to stay, but knew that they needed to bond with Momma, not us.

 

What a sweet experience for us all.  How often do we get to see nature up SO close?

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

We planted a 4-inch pot of these lilies when we moved here in 2004.  Over the years they have grown, bloomed, migrated downhill, and we still have some.  There aren't a lot of them, but the ones we have are so vibrant and beautiful.

 

We look forward to them every year.  Happy to share them with you.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Patty and I went to the quilt shop in Hiawassee yesterday to pick up a few projects that were being quilted by my friend Russ.  I picked up three, and dropped off one:  this one.  I took a class there last week to learn how to use the Hunter Star Trim Tool.  I learned how to make these beautiful star blocks.  

 

It looks simple, but I can assure you that it is NOT.  It is a process.  

 

Anyway, I am excited to see how it turns out.  I may need to make a couple more for my North Carolina friends.

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!