3/31/17

Every Blooming Thing

It's a glorious day of sunshine here at the Three Cats Ranch today. The rain will be back tomorrow, and so we've been out enjoying it while it lasts. As I mentioned yesterday, I spent some time weeding the culinary herb garden. Yesterday's weather was not as nice, although there were a few sun breaks mixed in with the rain showers. I spent a couple of hours weeding and cleaning things up a little. There is still more to do, but the weeds are controlled for at least another 15 minutes. It isn't much to look at this time of year, since it's barely getting its new growth. Mainly, I spent time ripping things out and cleaning things up.


In the image above, you can see all the new chives coming up. They can be invasive, but I can never get enough of them. I like to make chive blossom vinegar from the flowers. Recently, I read an article about making jelly from things like dandelion blossoms and lavender blossoms. I'd like to give that a try. It occurs to me that chive blossoms also might be used for making jelly. How different can it be from pepper jelly?

In the image below is the rosemary, which looks a little worse for wear after our cold winter. It needs to have some of the dead stuff cut out of it, but that will need to wait for another day. The lavender plants also need their dead blossoms cut.


Below you can see the new sorrel coming up among the dead runners from last year. I planted this in the garden along with all of the other herbs, maybe as much as 10 years ago. I've never used the sorrel, although I keep threatening to make pesto from it. Maybe this year. It does grow into a nice bushy plant, and so I let it stay just to take up space.


Smitty was out with me, in search of the big game. I don't think he caught anything on this excursion.


Also in my wanderings to the compost pile, I managed to get an in-focus shot of the buds on the cherry trees. A couple of sunny days, and these will be blooming in profusion.


Also, more white daffodils. Haven't seen any of the yellow ones yet.


The daylilies are making a comeback.


It was cloudy most of the day yesterday, but by day's end, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. Smitty is discovering the fine art of sun bathing.


Sue and I walked for the first time in over a month this morning. It was cloudy and a little chilly, but things are blooming like crazy. The Oregon Grape is blooming in abundance. This is Oregon's state flower. Eventually, these will get purple berry clusters, which are not grapes, nor are they good for eating.


The flowering plums are blooming. There are pink ones...


and white ones.


Here is the Red Flowering Currant...an Oregon native.


This pink one has an identical leaf, but the flowers are a little different.


This isn't a flowering thing, but the bark on this cedar was so pretty, and so I included it too.


This is the first rhododendron I've seen blooming anywhere, and it was the only one we saw today.


This next one is a type of jasmine. We have one growing in our yard too, but ours is at least a couple of weeks away from blooming. It's one of my favorites.


We saw a couple of tuxedo cats along our walk. This one was rather put out at us blowing his cover.


On our way back, we saw these flowering plums lining one side of a parking lot. Gorgeous.


And that was pretty much our walk for the morning. Nary a raindrop in sight.

There was a little progress made on the latest block for It's Raining Cats and Dogs. Most of the top-stitching is finished now.


The details have been machine embroidered into the umbrella...


and the lamp post.


There's still a little more detail to stitch into the windows, and then I'll add a couple of hot fix nailheads for the dog's eye and the doorknob. After that, this one will be finished, and I'll move on to the Hobo quilt.

My day is laid out now, and it's well past time to get to it.

12 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Love seeing all the plants and flowers. We have rain/sleet/snow and the furkids are quite put out about that.

Quilting Babcia said...

Lots of eye-candy here, especially for those of us who endured even more accumulating snow yesterday. Good to know it's spring somewhere!

gpc said...

So many flowers! Lovely. All I've seen here so far are snowdrops and crocus. I can't wait for some new growth and flowers! :)

WoolenSails said...

You really have a beautiful area with the flowers and blooming trees, enjoyed seeing them.
I have seen some buds, but we need a warm week and hopefully the flowers will start blooming.
I did find a bloom in my new garden, I think it was a bulb I replanted and it is actually growing.

Debbie

claudia said...

You are ahead of us as far as spring goes by a couple of weeks it looks like! I've got bud on my plum trees, but no flowers yet. There are a couple of trees out there with flowers and they look somewhat like your Red Flowering Currant, but I really have no idea what they are, except pretty!
I took a walk around the farm today. It was good to see what's budding out and getting ready to bloom. I have loads of yellow daffs in full bloom, but very few white ones, and my tulips are pouting I think!
I bet Smitty was beside himself with joy to go hunting! I am scared t death to let my cats out at all. I'm trying to get a catio together. (I don't know how big to make it for one thing) My room mate suggested a Catrium! (He said atrium, I added the cat part. I think that would be a little too hot and moist for the boys though.
Your block is looking so cute!

Lyndsey said...

It's lovely to see all the plants sprouting and the blossom on the trees. Great pictures. I hope the weather doesn't go back on its deal to get warmer. Here spring is in evidence and there is warmth in the sunbut still unpredictable weather.

piecefulwendy said...

Thank you for sharing all the spring flowers with us. That Oregon Grape is a beauty and the rhododendron is gorgeous! I enjoyed seeing Smitty on the hunt; I'm sure he loved being outside. Cute work on your quilt too! Enjoy your day!

Dana Gaffney said...

It's so nice to see that Spring is really happening after the winter you've had. That row of trees is gorgeous! Tuxedo cat's along way makes me think there must have been a cat prom or walk of shame.

liniecat said...

Watched a countryside prog on tv last week and the lady gathered in wild garlic etc for her jams, jellies and other yummy sounding things.
She gathers the blossom off sloe bushes to include in her, jelly I think it was. She picked and ate it and they have a subtle almond flavour apparently. Well the sloes help gin mellow so can't wait to try the blossoms now!
We finally have spring colour and wonderfully enriching bright warm odd days too - bliss!
Raining cats n dogs looks fun :)

Kate said...

Love all the gorgeous blooms and flowers! That must have been a very nice walk. Hopefully you've had a bit more sunshine since then.

quiltzyx said...

I was just telling a friend about "Every Bloomin' Thing" the other night at dinner! LOL The pics are wonderful indeed. I haven't used my DSLR for so long that I just signed up for a Nikon online 'get to know' your DSLR class. Maybe that will get me going.

Will the pup get a nose too? Inquiring minds need to know.

Dar said...

I'm catching up on your walk with Sue. I love seeing all the beautiful flowers both on your walk and in your gardens. I too make chive vinegar with the blossoms, but mine are in a tub so their spreading is limited. Your raining Cats and Dogs quilt is so cute. All the little details make it really special.