Getting My Vitamin D

It was too nice yesterday to spend any time in a windowless basement sewing room, and so my sewing projects went begging. I spent most of the day outside soaking up the sun. I'd already told you I was determined to weed the herb garden...which I did. It didn't need weeding so much as it needed whacking. The rosemary plant had died. I'd had this plant for two years, but generally, I can't keep them alive through the winter. Winter is no problem for the sage plant though. It has reached a stage where it has to be cut back to about 50% its size each year to give the chives some room to breathe. I probably don't have enough chives for vinegar this year, but they are making a comeback.

It was a job, but I finished off the herb garden and then took a walk around. I knew some warmer weather would bring out the rhododendron blossoms, and they are so pretty right now. This one is at the lower end of the herb garden.

It's flowers are so delicate and pretty.

The volunteer pansies are looking pretty robust for having been buried in several feet of snow just last month.

The golden chain tree is readying itself to become the most watched thing in the garden. I look forward to its time to bloom each year. This is our third try with a golden chain tree. This one is doing well despite having been knocked over by a deer using it as an antler-scratching post one year. We planted it somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4 years ago, and it's still alive. That alone is saying something.

The kitties were out hunting squirrels with me. You can just see Sadie's tail in the image below.

You can see them both in the next image. Smitty on the left, Sadie on the right. They were in deep shadow...the better to be stealthy, you know.

I got wind that a package had been delivered to the mail box. It's about a half mile round trip to our mail box, but I decided to make the walk. It was such a pretty day, and I was enjoying being outside without a coat. Along the way I took pictures of all the wildflowers I saw. I believe the first ones are wild geraniums.

And I don't know the rest. These grow on a shrub.

This next one might be penstemon. I'm not really sure.

I think this next one is vetch. I'm probably getting them all wrong, but I know someone will correct me.

Oh yes, and this one I know...a trio of lowly dandelions.

This next one is common wood sorrel. I have sorrel growing in my herb garden. I've used it to make pesto and soup, and it tastes pretty good. According to Google, every part of the wood sorrel plant is edible, but I haven't ever used this wild stuff.

As I walked back, I looked up at the sky. I love how it looks when the sun is shining through the leaves.

Just at the beginning of our driveway, I noticed a Scotch broom getting ready to bloom. These are ubiquitous in the northwest. They're pretty when they bloom, painting whole hillsides with yellow. But, man, they are murder for people with allergies.

And, like I said, I spent most of the day outside. I took another walk around later in the afternoon and again marveled at how beautiful the rhodies are right now.

Oh! And happy, happy, joy, joy!!! I noticed two buds growing on the patio poppies. I didn't think they would bloom this year! Generally, when I see the first bud, I start seeing more and more. This makes me very happy.

Of course the lilacs are at their prettiest right now.

After so much walking around, Smitty needed to cool his belly furs on top of the cool china cabinet.

On Friday, I baked cookies for Mike to take along to the road rally. I ate only one and then sent the rest along with him. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to try out this Chocolate Chip Cookies for One recipe. It was so quick and easy, and it makes two cookies. Yum. I did not share these with anybody.

It's a recipe from America's Test Kitchens, and so I can't link to the recipe, but I'm sharing it anyway.  And, just between you and me, there are lots of "cookies for one" recipes on the internet. I tried this one, and it was good. If you wanted to make cookies for two (four cookies), you can easily double it. If I were to double this, I'd include twice as much of everything and the whole egg instead of just the yolk.

Okay, and then I was excited to see more seeds sprouting. Two cucumbers...

And more sunflowers.

I love when they still have their seeds attached.

No doubt, you'll soon be glad I didn't plant more seeds this year.

Smitty was 'zhausted by the end of the day. I put the Mumm's the Word quilt on the chair in my office, and this has become his new favorite place for his afternoon nap.

And just to show you I didn't completely abandon my sewing, I stitched up the next section of Pieces of the past. I'm coming close to the finish line with this. I expect I'll finish it before the week is over.

This being Sunday, I'll be linking up to 

So I made no progress on any of my other projects yesterday. Today I'll be doing laundry, and there's a little housework on the list. Then I'll make up the next block for Domestic Affairs, and I'll get started on my "Animal Kingdom" art quilt. Mike will be home later today. It's another lovely day outside. I might be tempted to get out for another walk.