4/28/20

Finished with Red

We were expecting rain most of the day yesterday, but the weather system appeared to rain itself out by lunch time. It was nice to get a little time outside in the afternoon. While I was out, I took the promised picture of the fourth peony bud. This is endlessly fascinating...I know. You might want to fasten your seatbelt.


That's the largest of the peonies. While I've thoroughly checked on the smallest one, I still see no buds. It's early. I'm optimistic it will come through.

To its right I'm keeping an eagle eye out for the calla lily. It still has not shown itself, and it may not have survived the winter. On the other hand, the star lily now has buds on it. It's only just inches above ground, and so it still has some growing to do before any flowers will appear.


Another of the rhododendrons is showing its colors now. The two that have color are on the sunny side of the house. The others are a little slower, but they won't be far behind.


Just look at all the blossoms on the lilac. Open, open, open! It's the most blossoms we've seen on this plant. We bought it in a parking lot at a Shari's restaurant several years back. Someone had dug up some "suckers" in their own yard and they were selling them for $10. It was mother's day, as I recall. Anyway...it's taken it a while to get many flowers, and this might be its best year yet.


Checking in on the poppy...still tightly closed buds. But as I inspected the plant, I found a third bud.


Looking even more closely, I found a fourth bud! Oh JOY!


Back in the sewing room, all four poppies have bloomed now, and that is the end of the red for this piece.


It's 70% finished now with three more rows of 16-patches to go. I'll be working only with blues and greens from here. The final row has just greens.

This morning, I'll be hand-sewing the binding on the fourth of the pay-it-forward projects, and so this one will probably go out in tomorrow's mail. For now, you only get a peek.


The third of the projects is in the hands of my friend now, and so I can show you the whole thing. It's hand embroidery and fusible applique.


As I mentioned, I've made this pattern once before.


It's a pretty pattern from Jenny of Elefantz. It was free when I downloaded it back in 2014. I've searched her blog and her Etsy shop to see if it's still available, and I can't find it. If you want this, just email me, and I'll send it to you.

Today we're hoping for a better day weather-wise. Mike and Matthew are going to clean out the greenhouse. I really want to get my seeds planted. And these two...


they're itching to get outside and help. Also, I'll get some more done on the poppy mosaic. I'd like to have it to flimsy stage by the end of the month. It's going to be a challenge to meet that goal.

8 comments:

Julierose said...

Nice progress on the Poppies quilt;))) and.......
Both embroideries turned out so pretty!!

I have to go out and see if anything at all is ready to bud out--
still really cold WNW winds here..

Did groceries early this morning --so a nap is in my future for sure...just simply exhausting...makes me very nervous...sanitized everything--including "moi"! ;000

Enjoy your gardening...I cannot wait to plant some herbs and marigolds...

I saved some marigold seeds from last year in the fridge...but it's still too early here...(I know, a lot of people don't like them, but I LOVE them--even the smell!! Just so simple and charming...)
Want to see if i can get some hollyhocks somewhere--can't go to garden centers--still in lockdown here...maybe online??
Anyway...have a great day
~ ~ ~ waving in the sunshine aaahhh Julierose

Vroomans' Quilts said...

WOW - you really have made great progress with the PoppY quilt. Today was a nice weather day (and senior day at the shops) so I took my Mom out for the bank, pharmacy, and groceries.

Katie said...

The end of the month? You'd better hurry because I think this is the 82nd of the month. I'm not sure when it will end, but it seems every time I go to work at least 3-7 days happen while I am there, despite what the clock says. I think the battery is faulty. It also seems to be in cahoots with the calendar because there is no earthly way I can be this exhausted from such a simple job. But the poppies (real and pixellated) are looking good. I can only hope that the next three days off work (what? miracle!) will find me focused enough to get a fraction of what you get done, done here. I used to be better. Then the space-time continuum got all wacky. (Boy do I wish it would work in my favor to give me more quilty time!) Hi to the fur-kids. Mine are so angry that spring has also teamed up with the clock and calendar to refuse to actually get here so they can play in their outdoor playland. Nothing so pathetic as a begging kitty, peering through the window, letting out a tiny, pathetic "mew." Soon, my babies, soon!

Christine said...

Beautiful quilt gift! Love the new one as it seems much brighter. Guess my pink hair is a giveaway that I love bright colours!
We seem to be having a season of rain now. Hope it softens up the earth so that I can continue transforming the blue garden. I don't envy the boys cleaning the greenhouse ...that is totally DH's area on our little plot ...

gpc said...

The poppies are lovely, both the ones that are growing themselves and the ones that you are creating. A daunting amount of work. I am also committed to doing pay-it-forward gifts but no one signed up for mine so I have been pondering, both what to make and where to send. I learned today that we have a local group of strangers who are doing something similar and so I will look into that. Meanwhile, it is raining and dreary here. Hopefully that will mean that more flowers are on the way.

piecefulwendy said...

So many buds, the promise of things to come! I hope your lilacs bloom with reckless abandon this year - I can smell them! I have some lilac trees, but they don't get enough sun, so I only get a few blossoms each year. Still, I like them. We have a cool, windy day going on here, so I'll tuck in and do a bit more sewing, I think. The kitties are definitely chomping at the bit; hope they got out and had some fun. Nice work on the poppy quilt!

Linda said...

That pansy and bird embroidery is gorgeous!
I also go in my garden daily to check and see what is coming up, starting to bloom, or blooming. It really is exciting, and I enjoy seeing yours just as much.
I hope the kitties got to get out and "help".

QuiltGranma said...

Growing up we had a HUGE rhodie in the yard that my parents transplanted there when i was a toddler. It was the white with pink in the edges like one you previously posted from your yard. In the summer i would make leis from them, putting the heavy thread through the hole at the base of the connected petals after they were pulled off the plant. (there were still plenty left on the plant to enjoy!)