Category Archives: Gardening

Is Summer Really Almost Here?

So here we are at Memorial Day weekend.  Does it feel like it to you?  With the rhythm of the weeks and months being so different this year, it is hard to believe we are at the end of May.    The weather here has not been consistently giving the signs of us coming up to the unofficial start of the summer that’s for sure.   But I was happy that over the last couple of weeks we have had some pretty nice days to tease us a bit.   This gave us the opportunity to spend some time outdoors working on weeding and getting our flowers and veggies planted.

We also had one of my favorite irises bloom as well as getting to enjoy the first rose of the season.

Last year we had a robin’s nest in a tall shrub outside our bedroom window.  It was visible from one of our windows and we enjoyed watching for those little blue eggs to hatch.  I wondered if there would be a nest again this year.  I had noticed a couple of robins spending a lot of time on the fence and on our air conditioner in that area.   Well, on Friday while working outside, I noticed a bit of straw-like material hanging down from the shrub and sure enough, there was the nest.         wp-1590272569888.jpg  We can’t see the eggs this year but we will be sure to be careful when we are in that area to not disturb the little family.

The houseplants are now in their “summer place”   wp-1590268629166.jpg   and I got my fairy garden set up   wp-1590268354710.jpg .

As far as what’s been happening in my sewing room,  well, as you might expect,  there are still masks in production.

There are some kiddie size ones,   some masks with extenders and some from my teal and purple day.    But there was also other sewing that happened too.

 

I made a couple of cell phone pillows and I have been working on my Christmas hexagons.  I’ve got 32 completed and ten more ready to go.   I think I will make a hexagon version of the zig zag tablerunner.  I am excited to see how it turns out in the end.

And yes, BFF, I have done a bit of work on the Farmer’s Wife blocks we picked a couple weeks ago.   No pressure.  🙂

And so, as I said, here we are at Memorial Day.  Today is a rainy day and I actually have been enjoying the sound of the rain outside.  I do enjoy a day with rain instead of just a day of grey drizzle.  It makes for a nice day to read.  The plans for the rest of this “long weekend” (it all feels the same to me) will be to be outside and enjoy the nice weather that is supposed to be here for a few days starting tomorrow.   We will watch the virtual Air Show tomorrow and  grill some burgers on Monday.   I will probably do a bit of summertime decorating inside.

There will be some creative time too of course.   I have been checking out things for Christmas.    After all, as my snowmen friends have reminded me ……20190605_180216.jpg …. only 7 months until Christmas.  🙂

Whatever is happening in your neck of the woods, I hope you have a good weekend.   Do something creative.   Stay safe.

Bye for now.  See  you soon.

Ginny

 

Projects- Past and Present

Week what of Quarantine are we in?   I’m not sure.   And what season it?  Spring right? Well I think Mother Nature is a bit confused about what day/month it is too.  We had snow here today.  Now, you all know that I have said how much I love snow and  I was excited about it enough to startle my hubby when I saw the flakes and jumped up and yelled “Hon, look!”   But really, it is Mother’s Day weekend right?

So, what have I been keeping myself occupied with since the last time I was here?  I was very, very busy with the mask-making.     I have caught up with the orders and I’m now in the process of making masks just to keep stocked in case anyone else needs them.  Heaven knows I certainly have enough fabric to make a bunch more and  my order of elastic arrived so I am good to go.  I am now able to work on other projects again that sort of got pushed to the back burner when the mask need got so great.    I have also been continuing on with my purging/organizing of some closets.   I have come across some interesting things in my ventures into long-ago packed boxes.  Among them are these projects that were started many, many, many years ago.

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These six blocks are from the early 1990’s and were the start of a Christmas block of the month project that highlighted different block styles .  I am not sure what happened to rest of the blocks or even if I had the instruction sheets for them but I will use these blocks in a small lap quilt for this Christmas season.

I also came across this family of Gingerbread people just waiting for their eyes, noses and happy holiday smiles and their stuffing.  In with the Gingerbread people were quite a few long wedge shaped pieces of Christmas fabric that I am not sure just what I had in mind for them.  Were they really going to be a project or maybe they are scrap cuts from a project I finished long ago.   I will figure out something to do with them too.  Maybe they can somehow be incorporated into the same project as the blocks.

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I have been trying my hand at making some mask extenders on my embroidery machine and also some that are crocheted.wp-1588637214835.jpg

So many buttons to choose from!

And so here we are at Mother’s Day weekend.    I am happy to say that we did have the opportunity to work outside for a few days during a spell of nice weather and we have gotten our beds and flower pots ready for this year’s crops and flowers.    The onions and garlic that our grandson Max helped plant last fall are doing very well and I think we will have a good crop to pick this year.

We have our herbs started in pots inside the house and also in the outside pots and got our peas and carrot seeds planted as well as lettuce.    I am hoping for some nice weather to return this week so we can be outside enjoying our gardens.   We received the rest of the seeds from Burpee and will have to figure out how to get our veggie plants.  Mail order?  Curbside pickup?   Delivery from a local nursery?   We will need to make that decision this week.

I hope this post finds you all healthy.    What has been keeping you occupied?  Have you been reading?   I have been doing quite a bit of that at night.   Watching anything good on Netflix?  Re-watching some favorites?  I am doing a bit of that too.

Be well and stay safe.  Bye for now.  See you soon.

Ginny

 

 

Sunny Sunday Snippet

Well the sun finally reappeared on Friday afternoon!!   It was a wonderful thing.  People slowly came out of their houses and looked in amazement at the bright, shiny object in the sky.    Hubby and I got to spend an evening sitting outside on our front porch for the first time in ages.  OK, maybe not  actually ages, but it sure felt like it.

My tiger lilies were happy to see the sun too and showed their joy but opening up and bringing more smiles to our faces to see their wonderful,  graceful blooms.20190623_101437.jpg

The following day, we got to plant the last few flowers we bought for our garden but had been unable to get into their proper places because of the weather.  We are now enjoying these lovelies

And then to bring a bit of summer into my sewing room, I had a request for two sets of placemats.   I spent Saturday evening sewing up these cheerful sets

Sunflowers and beach pails…. yup summer is here.   I know some of us were wondering if it ever would arrive but it did indeed.  A bit later than usual but hopefully it will stay around for a while.

Have a wonderful week all.  We are off to the beach tomorrow.

Bye for now.  See you soon.

Ginny

 

Sunday Snippit

I decided to have a bit of “yard sitting” time this morning.   I took my tea and my tablet and headed outside.  It is going to be a bit of a challenging week ahead so there probably won’t be much time for enjoying our gardens and the fruits of our early spring labors.

I took the seat facing my Knock out roses so I could enjoy their lovely blooms while listening to the latest Create and Thrive podcast.  20190609_105524.jpg

I decided that I needed to bring some of those happy flowers inside with me when I was done with my “sitting” time so I could continue to enjoy their beauty and lovely fragrance.

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Of course, as I transported these delicate beauties inside they dropped some of their petals.  Rather than discarding them, I decided that they would add a nice touch to a small dish of seashells sitting in front of the vase of flowers.

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Seashells, rose petals and a red, white and blue table topper.   Yes, summer has arrived.

On a side note, I think I might be a bit obsessed with these freestanding lace bookmarks.   I ran 5 more of them on Friday on my embroidery machine while I was working on a different project on my sewing machine.  20190609_131638.jpg

I have a list of other colors and designs I want to make.  But, one of those red ones is mine so Ceil, your green one is safe.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday everyone.

Bye for now.

Ginny

Springtime is Here

We’ve got  hyacinths and daffodils and pansies blooming too.

 

 

And we have our seedlings sprouted on the windowsill.

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Yes, we did have some frost the other morning but I am confident that spring is here.  While we didn’t have the winter I would have liked …. more snow…… I am embracing the change of seasons and ready to focus on springtime projects.   In my last post I challenged you to guess what my minky was going to become.   If you didn’t guess, the answer is in the picture at the top of this post.  Easter Bunnies! I love this ITH (In-the Hoop) project.   Of course, I needed to add just one more cut of minky for a  bunny I need to make for a special little girl.

20190329_134544.jpg   I love this swirly pink minky.

I’ve also got some of these bunnies ready for personalizing this year too 20180331_211751.jpg                                                                                                                                               as well as these cute little baskets                                                                                                                                        Easter Baskets

 

 

 

 

 

My sewing room is full of bright, spring colors and I am loving it.   Are you ready for the change.  I am guessing that is a resounding YES!

And, how are you doing on the de-cluttering?   I must admit I have slowed down a bit but I have had a clothing donation pick-up so I’ve made progress there but not so much on my craft items.   I think I’m going to schedule in 30 minutes a week to go through something craft supply related and make some progress. Slowly but surely will get me to my goal.   My house needs to feel lighter.

That’s all for today.  I hope you are enjoying this change in the weather.

Be well.  See you soon.

Ginny

Gardening and My craft basket

Memorial Day weekend was a bit of mixed bag as far as the weather was concerned.   It was definitely too chilly to head to the beach for the Air Show so we opted to stay home and plant, mow, trim etc.  Made some good progress and we are almost at the point of just needing to “maintain”.   Hubby doesn’t necessarily believe that I am finished buying new plants yet though.  🙂

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But I think we are almost there…..  until it’s time to think about adding stuff for the fall.  A few more plants left to get into the ground once it gets to be a little nicer again out there.

So Saturday and Sunday was spent outside and then Monday I was able to spend some time in my sewing room.   And here is what is in my Craft Basket this week:

20170529_140859  It being Memorial Day and all, I decided to take out this American Flag wall hanging kit that I bought a couple years ago.   I am no Betsy Ross, but I am going to try and get a good start on this by 4th of July.  Dare I hope to finish it?  We’ll see.    I have something else in my Craft Basket that I will be working on this week too.   20170529_141202

I will be making a small quilt with these solids and the stripe material.  Loved the bright colors in the stripes and so I just pulled the solids to go along with it and started cutting this morning.    I think it will make a very happy little quilt.  I’ll post some pics when it’s done.  Well, actually after it is delivered to it’s destination.  Wouldn’t want to give it away before it arrives at it’s new home.

Hope you had a good weekend.   See you soon.

Ginny

 

First blooms

Summer stopped by for a quick visit a couple of days last week which was a nice change from the damp, rainy spring days.  Then today, poof — summer retreated and we were back to a wet rainy spring day.   I know that we need both those rains and the bright, sunny days to bring us the beauty of flowers.   That was proven to me on Sunday morning as I was taking a walk around the yard with my visiting Grandog.  He stopped to check something out on the ground and my eye caught something bright in the rosebush we were standing by.  Lo and behold there it was!   My first rose of the season.20170521_100801.jpg

I was so happy so see it.  Roses make me happy.   But so do the rest of what is now blooming in my gardens.    I have some beautiful irises making an appearance

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With the annuals we’ve added this week, it’s beginning to be quite a colorful landscape out there.

Some of my favorites:

20170519_190730   Geraniums always remind me of my paternal grandparents.  My grandfather had a garden in the yard of their Brooklyn apartment.  There were many things in his garden but I remember how I loved the scent and the slightly fuzzy feel of the leaves on the geraniums .  My grandmother had a window box full of them by the window where we would sit and look out on the backyard.   My gardens wouldn’t be complete without them now.

20170519_190722.jpg   The smell of my petunias in the evening as we sit outside on the front porch or out in our backyard is such a welcome reminder that summer is here.

20170519_190744   And the marigolds have such an earthy smell and I can count on them to be brightening the landscape well into the fall.

So that’s what I am seeing as I look out my windows into my gardens or walk around along with some still blooming Azaleas as well as some mystery spring-blooming purple flowers that I never planted but they show up every year.  They could be a weed for all I know but they are pretty and so they are staying.   The Rhododendron bloomed  a couple of days ago and I went around and checked all the Chrysanthemums and most of them made it through the winter and are sprouting their new green leaves.  More promises of fall color.   And the Tiger Lillies are going to put on a beautiful show for us down the road.

I will be adding more marigolds and geraniums for sure and there will be Sunpatiens added to the backyard and some black-eyed Susan’s need to be replaced up front.  I want to add some Dusty Miller around the border of a flowerbed at the edge of the driveway where the Tiger Lillies are.

I hope you are enjoying your gardens as much as I am enjoying mine this year.  Any guesses on whether or not I find some different type of plant I’d like to take home the next time we make a trip to the nursery?  If I was the betting sort, I’d say yes.

Have a good week.  See you soon.

Ginny

A day outdoors!

We were awakened early this morning by very loud thunder.  But a couple hours later, the sun was there to greet us.   Finally,  a beautiful, warm, sunny day.   I stepped outside after breakfast and was amazed at how wonderful it smelled.  What could it be?  The only thing that was blooming in the back were the azaleas we were putting in.  20170429_184659It took me a little bit to realize that my lilac tree on the side of the house was in full bloom and filling the yard with a wonderfully sweet smell.20170429_184637

Earlier this week some more of my tulips bloomed.  The name of these is Wine and Cheese   20170429_184439-EFFECTS  Love the combination of the yellow and deep red.

20170429_184428  Of course, these deep, burgundy tulips are awesome too.

So, it seems that we have turned the corner and it is  definitely the time of year to start spending more of our days outdoors.   I was so happy to be outside for the majority of the day today.  Lots of clean up done, azaleas and forsythia planted, pots are ready for the annuals to arrive.   I love seeing all of my hostas unfurling their leaves.

Tomorrow will be cooler but we will still spend a good amount of time outside.  Our attention will be focused on the lawns and also the vegetable beds.  I will probably also get my herbs planted.

Summer is coming and I am looking forward to many lazy days lounging outside enjoying the fruit of all of the labor we are putting in now.

Have a great week all.

Ginny

 

 

 

 

Welcome Spring

Well spring has arrived.   Just a week ago we were awaiting a major snowstorm.  We didn’t get as much as expected here     wp-1490029178563.jpg      but it was real nasty with sleet and freezing rain in the mix.  Very heavy to shovel but luckily, we have some very  helpful boys in the neighborhood who are there shoveling every storm.  We are very thankful for them.

However, up where my sons live a bit further up north in NY, they got 22″.   We were up there visiting this weekend and got to enjoy the beautiful peacefulness of a walk in the woods.

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Today the sun is shining brightly and what snow we still have left here by us is melting away.  Our thoughts are turning to our flower and vegetable gardens and I am envisioning a very colorful landscape.  We are planning on putting in a few more forsythia bushes and maybe trying some new plants.  I think there will be a new fence put up on one side of our property too.  We have been talking with the neighbors about getting one up since the one that is there (or what’s left of it) is in very bad shape.

So Spring has arrived.  Let’s look forward to what that will bring while looking fondly back on the season that has just passed with the delicious soups,  hot chocolate, cozy nights by the fire reading a book, snuggling under a quilt while watching a favorite tv show or movie. All seasons have something special about them.  We are about to emerge from our season of “hibernation” and become more active.  Welcome Spring.  I am ready for you.

Have a good day all.   See you soon.

Ginny

I think I’m ready for spring

Those of you who know me know that I love snow.  Yes, most of my friends and family think I’m a little weird but I just think it’s beautiful.  And I also love having to stay home and sew or watch a movie, read and maybe even cook.  Having said that, I think I am ready for Spring to arrive.   After the last snow that we had melted away I took a walk around the front and back yards  and lo and behold, there were daffodils and tiger lilies popping up! daffodils

It’s still too cold and damp to go out and do much in the flower beds, etc. but it got me to thinking about flowers and veggies and just being outdoors and enjoying the dirt.  Some of my friends and family think I’m a little weird about enjoying dirt too.  🙂    It’s almost time to go out and trim back the Knock Out Roses and, of course, seedlings can be started indoors.  I will get a taste of spring next weekend when we go to the Spring Flower & Garden Show at Hicks Nursery.    Love the smell of all the flowers, the beautiful colors, the ideas and inspiration I get and yes, even the warm humid feel there (yes, again, maybe a little weird).

In the meantime, I have been keeping myself busy by having new floors put in two rooms and rearranging another room.  I haven’t done too much sewing or embroidering but I did recover my sister’s vanity bench seat while she was away on vacation.  It is actually from one of our aunts and we aren’t quite sure how old the set  is but it seemed to me that Downton Abbey fabric would fit the period quite well.  I chose this one from the Lady Mary line

vanity-bench     My sis was very happy with it when she came home and saw it.

I am finished with the projects around the house for while so I will be making my sewing machines and embroidery machine hum again this week.  I even have a space to use my Featherweight in my living room now so I can do some straight stitching projects while spending time with the hubster and watching tv with him.   So, stay tuned for some pictures of maybe a quick St. Patrick’s day project and some Easter things for sure.  I am hoping to try to embroider some names on some bunny ears.  Seems to be a very popular item and I’m going to try my hand at them.

Have a good week everyone.  See you soon.

Ginny