Buds, Birds, and Blooms

Good Friday morning to you, my friends! My wrist got more rest yesterday, but we weren't sitting idle. All the housework is finished, the laundry is laundered, and the refrigerator and pantry are stocked with food to get us through the week. The window washer guy is coming today. The same guy (Scott) has washed our windows for more than 35 years. He feels like family. He only comes once per year, but it has become something of an event when he shows up. It'll be a good day for me to get back into the sewing room because...and this is the good news and the bad news...there are no windows in the sewing room. He can wash the windows, and I can sew, and never the twain shall meet. I like Scott. I like sewing better.

But let's just back up to yesterday for a bit. I reinforced my grocery shopping nerves of steel by spending some time on my slow-stitching. When I was finished for the morning, I'd filled my hoop again.

Now I've moved the hoop to the left-most part of the piece. The center area will contain a tiny pieced quilt, and so there's no stitching there. I've worked my way around the outer edge nearly halfway.

As a part of our grocery shopping expedition, I went on the hunt for a potted perennial to fill in the new pot near the front door. Also, I picked up some California poppy seeds. There are also tulips in this pot, and I think everyone can share the space from spring through fall. I chose a potted gaillardia for the center. Originally, I was thinking Black-eyed Susans, but the gaillardia gives the same bright color.

Also, I picked up some more giant sunflower seeds. I've had the hardest time getting the giants going this year. There were two sets of two, planted close together. Both must have gotten hit with drift from weed killer. I found them both dead in one of my visits to the garden. 😞 I'd already planted all the seeds I had, and so I started some new ones in the greenhouse. If I can't get these to go, I'll probably give up. Three strikes and you're out. Or...more optimistically...the third time's a charm. Which will it be?

There are enough tomatoes on the plants that I've stopped counting them. They're growing fast too.

Outside, there are exactly two cherry tomatoes. We won't be making a very large salad with those. I'm hoping it will be more prolific. This is my second (or maybe third) year growing Sungold cherry tomatoes. They are tasty little tomatoes, but they don't seem to produce much at our house. I haven't given up on them yet.

The lavender is in full bloom. While it lasts, we've been enjoying our Bees Knees in the evening.

To their right, the sage is blooming. I've used these sage blossoms in vinegar when I don't have enough chives. I'll leave them be this time around.

The lily has put up a new shoot. With those curled leaves, this must be a calla lily, but I don't know if it's pink or yellow. Just as I looked more closely at that picture, I noticed it's actually putting up a third shoot. Fingers crossed the critters can leave it alone.

The peonies are nearly bloomed out, but there are a few flowers and buds left. When I took this picture off the camera, I noticed I captured a little spider inside. Do you see it?

Around front, the clematis continues to thrill me. There's a fifth flower bud getting ready to open at the bottom middle of the image below. And you can see there are many more buds coming.

To its left, the purple clematis is all finished. When its flowers fade, they look like this. They remind me of the Whos down in Whoville.

Around back, the blue clematis is doing well. It's hard to see in the image below, but the tip of the flower bud is turning blue now. When it opens, it will be a deep blue color.

Buds have appeared on all the hydrangeas now. They'll be the stars of the garden soon enough.

Taco salad was on last night's menu, and so we sat outside and enjoyed our margaritas. This black-headed grosbeak was sitting in the top of one of the fir trees singing his guts out.

At the feeders were house finches and gold finches.

Overhead the crows were madly strafing this red-tailed hawk. He lives nearby and hangs around every summer, much to the distress of the crows. He landed high in one of the trees, and I was able to zoom way in to capture him.

Sadie was a cat on a mission.

When it was time to go inside, we asked her if she wanted her dinner.

That looks like a "yes" to me.

Okay, so today is going to be a mostly sewing day. My wrist felt better yesterday, but it was good to give it another day off. It feels pretty much 100% today. I should be able to get back to my sewing without any problems. It's probably time to hoe the garden, and I'll do that too. Otherwise, it's going to be a mostly sewing day. With Scott showing up sometime this morning, I should probably get dressed too. With that, I'll leave you to your day. There are still a couple of days left to enter Sadie's giveaway. Be sure to stop by and leave a comment if you want to win.