A DAY AT HOME

Every other morning there is a new flower blooming on the orchid!  I do love to have an orchid in my room!

My total yardage for the four skeins was just under 900 yards of superwash wool/nylon which I dyed. I'm thinking I will make a crocheted blanket since I have been enjoying that lately!  I still have 4 more skeins to add to the pile so I know I will have enough yarn for a blanket.  Or maybe I could knit some small mitered squares blanket--isn't it nice to have ideas?!

This pipe is where my 'lizard' lives--sticking his head out like a submarine periscope checking out the world. 

 I heard a flurry in the afternoon and she sat there for a bit 

but left empty handed, to my relief!  

I put out seeds for you so leave my lizard along, please!

 

HOME PLEASURES

After church and a nap once home, I had made plenty of the granny squares are laid out on the floor for me to see if there are enough and the size they make altogether--I am satisfied and will be crocheting them together today!  It's a yarn quilt!  

Bill had the pleasure of seeing the greater egret yesterday--

they sure are beautiful!

 

PIECES

I made the binding,  backing and cut the batting for the table runner so when the frame is cleared of its present quilt, 

I can load this on and get it on my table!

I also enjoyed arranging and piecing two simple placemats, 

and used the leftover charms and a bit of fabric

 to make a matching table runner!

We also had some rowdy guests at the bird feeding station!  On top over the bird feeders, we have a heavy metal pan we use to feed the crows but today, a committee of turkey vultures moved in and knocked over the pan and had quite a picnic on the spillings!

 

You can see the crow on the trellis to the right of the bird feeders---he was waiting his turn!

A VISIT TO MY WILDERNES

So many of the banana trees are flourishing despite a few frosted tips already.  There has been flooding again, 

for the fifth year in a row.  They say it is a 50 year cycle

 but I hope this cycle won't last 50 years!

Some of the trees are sending out new flowers--that 12" reddish cone near the top of the photo is the bloom.  The stalk will continue to lengthen and above the flower, there will appear little 'fingers' that will soon form a large bunch of bananas!

Here is a clump of bananas that is growing well on its stalk.

  They take four months to ripen!

The Maple trees are already putting out their little squirrel ears!  Maple leaves start and end their journey in such a pretty color!

You can see how strange this area looks compared to a few years ago when it was all green mowed grass.  Now most of the Pine and Maple trees are gone from the area.  The bare tree on the left is a Cypress which loses its needles over the winter but it is alive and well for it is a swamp dweller!  If you look closely, you can see an egret in the center of the photo in the water.

They are among the many birds which are thrilled with the additional wetlands!  We try to enjoy the changes for a number of reasons.  We do have to admit to seeing the beauty!

These are the flowers on one stalk from an aloe plant.

We have so many aloe planted around the bases of palm trees

 so the flowers are appreciated year round.

The Camellias continue to bloom-this one is about 6' across.

 A real show-off!

The morning started off with heavy rain but by noon the sun was out and it hit 80F and it was hard to let the weather so unappreciated so we savored a good visit.

LEISURE AND LAUGHTER

If you wonder where the birds go when it is raining hard?

---now you know!!!

When it is clear out, you celebrate with ice cream!  (My parents!)

And singing happy birthday with nieces, great nieces, a great nephew a brother in law and my sister!

My sister's great dane--they are so much more than a dog! lol

Crazy kids in the pool that is so chilly after all the rain! 

 Bill supervised and cheered them on!  

Muchroooms (toad stools) grow tall and fast!

But the syringa like the warm/rainy/warm weather!  

 

NICE TO VISIt and NOT TRAVEL!

Mom's Hoya plant is in bloom again--I so enjoy seeing it when I visit!  What a beautiful 3" clump of flowers!

The kitchen window has some new African Violets--this one has to have the largest display of flowers I've ever seen!  Easily it is 5" wide and 3" high!

The robins were so busy this morning;  there was a bit of rain through the night and they were all looking for the worm!  I have enjoyed listening to the birds--it is so busy around the whole yard!

Dad's roses are not only beautiful but they smell delicious!

Mom and I bought 5 skeins of dishcloth cotton (one is still on her needles so not on the sill) and then will make a bunch of different combinations of these for the dishcloths we knit while we visit-

and laugh!

 

THE WRONG TURKEY

We have a different kind of turkey visiting us today!  I've never seen them inspecting the dropped seeds under the bird feeders!  It made me think of  Araignee's friendly vulture!

I did a lot of cleaning (floors mostly because living on sand, there is a lot carried in by man and beast!) and resting in turn yesterday so I was ready to do the kitchen duty baking today. 

 I did make these small bowl Koozies to give my guests on Thanksgiving.  I like them for holding my ice cream dish 

so I don't get cold hands while eating

 and I thought others would like these, too!

They are a nice size for small bowls!

I hope you are having a good time preparing for tomorrow's feasting with friends and family.

A FEW STITCHES

Mom and I are working on the Tunisian Block for this month. 

 It is fun to work on them together!

Yesterday, we had a wild and crazy storm roll in with strong winds, rain and hail!  You can see all of the leaves and sticks blown from the trees into the yard behind the birds!

  As soon as it settled down-the birds were right back at the feeders and getting the seed from the ground!  The birds here are beginning to flock here already.  I don't remember what these are (not the one in the front who is a mourning dove) but they were busy for a long time and then flew off together. 

 I saw no difference 'tween male or females

 to help me identify them.

The driving went well yesterday, too, because the traffic was very light and I didn't get lost!  It was a long day but we got home in time for lunch and a nap before my nieces and grandnieces came for a visit!

 

SONGBIRDS

 The songbirds are so numerous in the front yard feeders!  I willl try to get better pics soon.  This Evening Grosbeak is not common for us in Florida so it is a real treat!  I counted 11 different birds at one time but I ran for the camera all but this guy had flown away!

FRIENDS

Lena likes to visit me for breakfast...

She waits under the table runner...

and smiles a morning greeting when I find her!

Out on the front porch, I am still battling the wrens who fill each pot with twigs and leaves.

I always check to make sure it isn't a completed nest first.

This one has occupants!  I will check it out every few days to see if we get to see babies hatching! They only need to sit a few weeks before the big event!

 

TUNISIAN BLOCK #3

The March block is completed; I know that I will not be able to do anything for a long while after surgery

 which is why I wanted to get it done while I could!

Here is the Purl Stitch--notice it doesn't roll at all!  

I did have to block it to make it the 12" size

 that it is supposed to be.

I placed the ruler on the damp block, put the weight on it

 and left it overnight!  It worked beautifully!

I enjoyed the stitch so much; I started a small dishcloth (7")

 while at pre-op tests today.

It is Spring as far as these two are concerned!  They bring bits of twigs and grasses and leaves and put them in all of the plants on my porch!  See them on the cactus?

Here you go!  I think they are Carolina Wrens! 

PLANS

I had fun planning the next quilt....

I did a lot of knitting; in all honesty, 

I probably did it a bit too long for the aching ramped up a lot. 

I took the hint and rested my arm again.

We had bouts of wind and rain throughout the day--when there was calm, the birds were busy filling up since our temps are due to drop from the 60's to the 30's! 

 I'm hoping for no frost!