Returning to Normal

We were able to get the entire camper unpacked and things put away yesterday. After that Mike went to whack down some of the branches that have grown out over the driveway while I took a walk around the garden to inspect things and see what's new.

The first thing I noticed is that the hydrangea Erik and Mae gave to me for Mother's Day last year is blooming. We weren't sure it would hold its nice wine color, but lookie there. I think it might be a little more purple than it was when they gave it to me. Still, I've never seen one this color. So pretty.

And that sent me running around to see if any of the other hydrangeas have bloomed. Of the four remaining, two have bloomed. This one was pink when it started out. You can see that it now has both pink and blue flowers on it. The color change has occurred naturally. It indicates a fair amount of iron in the soil. The probably accounts for the darker purple color in the one above as well.

Also, this one, whose color remains something of a mystery. Is it pink? Is it green? Is it pink and green?

It's planted in a place where it gets too much direct sunlight, and it has always struggled. It looks the best it's ever looked this year.

Now here's something: this rose in the image below. This is a tree rose that was given to me for my 50th birthday. I think I've told you before how little luck I've had with roses since we moved in here. The culinary herb bed was a rose garden at one time. Then, I got tired of pruning, watering, tending, and caring, only to have the deer eat every last blossom before it ever had a chance to open. Believe me when I say we tried everything to discourage them. 

Then someone gave me this little tree rose. It was beautifully fragrant, and so we planted it around the front side of the house. Of course, the deer made a meal of it right away. If Mike had been less busy, we would have dug it up long ago. And now...look at this! The main stalk appears dead, but it put up more canes all around the center stalk. Some are suckers, but it is absolutely covered in blossoms this year. Who would have thought it?

And since we've always planned to dig it up, it has been neglected terribly. Once the flowers die back, I'll give it a good pruning and we'll see how it goes. Of course, once I start taking care of it, it will gain more stature in the eyes and tastes of the deer. Of that I have no doubt.

Also blooming prolifically right now are the daylilies.

When I looked a little closer at this, I noticed this Goldenrod Crab Spider. I got a little too close when I snapped this picture, and so it's a little blurry. You can see a better picture if you click on that link I've given you.

The only other time I've seen these spiders is at our friends Greg and Jan's property out toward the Oregon coast. These spiders like to lie on their backs mimicking the center of a flower. Then some unsuspecting bee comes along and gets caught. Then the spider sucks it dry, discards it, and then readies itself for its next victim. Yummy. 

The daylily has more flowers on it this year than I've ever seen. It's amazing what a mild winter and a warm wet spring will do for things.

As you know, I've planted sunflowers in the culinary herb garden this year. I have six different varieties and so I'm excited to see them bloom. They are beginning to head up, and so it won't be long.

Also, the lavender is in bloom. Time for some Bees Knees cocktails!

And lookie here...another Goldenrod Crab Spider! It's interesting that I've never seen these in our garden before, and yet, I saw two within ten feet of one another yesterday.

The tomatoes are growing taller and they did just fine while we were gone. Also check out my basil plant there in the middle, taller than the rest because it's sitting on a cross beam.

What's this? It's bat guano. That's how we know there are bats in our belfry.

Look up there at the tippy top peak in our garage roof and you'll see the bat house we've given them. We hung the bat house the first year we moved in, but we've only had actual bats living there for the past couple of years. We like our bats. They eat the bugs.

Here's my little garden companion. He's been sticking close to me ever since we got back. The last two nights he snuggled up to me in bed, and we had a purrgasm and a petstravaganza. He couldn't seem to get enough, and that meant a nap for me yesterday afternoon. I'll probably take another one today. I don't mind. I missed him too. He's still a little too active for daytime snuggling. When we get in bed at night, all bets are off.

Gracie's just happy to have us home to deposit treats in her bowl again.

Her fur is very nearly grown back. The owie doesn't even show any more.

While Mike was whacking bushes, I decided to get a little organizing done in the sewing room. While we were gone, the fabrics for my next little baby quilt were delivered. I have quite a pile of fabric to be washed now with these fabrics and the ones I purchased for Hocuspocusville.

I took advantage of the time away from home to take Big Bertha in for her annual maintenance. I can pick her up today, but I decided to set up Pfelicity in her place and use her this week. I have a class next Saturday and I haven't sewn on Pfelicity since I took her to Tacoma last summer. Since she's my take-along girl, it seems a good idea to spend a little time with her this week.

Yesterday I got out the manual and had to completely reacquaint myself with her. I couldn't remember how to thread the needle, wind the bobbin, or anything. Then, once I had her all set up and ready to sew, I realized the feed dogs were down (because the last thing I did with her was free motion quilting), and I had to figure out how to raise them again. I think we're ready to sew now.

She sure has a pretty straight stitch. Now that I'm re-prioritizing my work for June, I'm going to finish up my paper-pieced blocks and focus all on blocks until I have all the ones I need to make for June finished. Then, I'll probably quilt the Dream Machines quilt before doing the Doors of Ireland. It was tempting to just not finish the Dream Machines quilt since I dislike it so much. I've decided to go ahead and quilt it, however, because it will be good practice. Then, I'll most likely donate it to a charity I have picked out. I'll say more about that when the time comes.

For today, I'm picking up Big Bertha and purchasing a few groceries. I don't want to buy much until I see what's in this week's CSA share. Tonight is my guild meeting and we're showing off our challenge quilts. It's the coming out party for Block Party.

 I hope it does as well as the Blooming Sunflower did in last year's challenge when I won $50!

So...lots to do. Time to get going.