Favorite little people!

Zach and Kylie, Nov.2009

I love when Thanksgiving comes around and all the family come to visit us. I'm reflecting on 2009 and realizing that I'm going backward with my blog posts!! oh well, I plan to do a "Year in Review" before the year ends! stay tuned.........

Family News

Engaged!!! Big news for our family... Rachel and Scott are engaged and planning to wed in 2010. We are so happy!!!

Furry Friends...

We have adopted a new pet... her name is Phyllis... shortened to "Phil" or "Philly". This works out great since she was rescued in Philly by the SPCA. Originally, we thought we would call her Alice but that just didn't seem to work for her. She is a really sweet dog (or puppy??? the vet said she is approximately 1 year old).
Sam is behaving in her usual "cautious" manner spending most of the last four days under our bed upstairs. We caught her in "sneak approach" trying to get a peek at the new furry resident.
Harri is much braver most of the time and even marched right up to Phil in the yard. Much to her surprise, Phil reacted like a real dog and started the chase! We have to work on proper introductions but have been advised to let them gradually get used to each other from a distance... behind gates and doors for the present time.

March madness ...wt.gardening!

The garden in the basement is thriving!!
Tropical winter sleep-over plants are surviving but hoping to get outdoors soon.
Vegetable seedlings... tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, mesclun (lettuce), basil, parsley... are thriving. This week I hope to start annual flower seeds... so many pkts.!!! Helitrope, salvia, verbenna, ageratum, zinnias and tithonia are waiting to get planted this week. Dahlias, cannas and elephant ears are already potted and ready to grow. Today I was out and about in my gardens to see what's happening. It is such a miracle to see the new growth pushing up through the debris of last year's plants. Daffodils and tulips are heavy with buds and need a few more days of warm sunshine to open. This is such an exciting time with so much work??? or maybe I should say "fun and enjoyment"!! The photos should get better each week if I can keep up with everything...

What's growin on.....3.21.09

Spring is starting.... crocus and Helleborus are leading the way for future blooms!!
The gardens are awakening. Each day brings new surprises of blooms forgotten from last year's gardens. Spring is fragile and beautiful with splendid colors braving their way in shifting temperatures.

Counting my blessings!

Here are a few of my special blessings!!.... Scott, Kylie and Rachel. We had a wonderful visit last weekend in North Carolina.

March Madness!!

As the saying goes... everything seems like "madness" as the month of March progresses. As for me, it's more than basketball (although I do stay tuned to the Blue Devils... and I really enjoyed the ACC Tournament and await the NCAA Big Dance). Along with BB madness, I start "gardening madness"; so many seeds to be planted, so many gardens to plan, so much pruning to do, and on and on and on, but I love it. The hope of what's to come... SPRING! I can hardly believe that snowdrops are already blooming and one little crocus has bravely opened its purple petals. My madness is compounded by quilting projects almost, but not quite finished. Now I have a new project to finish for a raffle (benefitting St.Vincent de Paul) taking place on April 4. The success of my last quilt/raffle is hoping to be repeated.
Next weekend our Master Gardener Group has a Spring Symposium... national gardener speakers and a whole day of just gardening enthusiasium. It will be several days of work for me, but well worth the effort. Again... more madness and more fun!
As for my personal gardening, did I mention that I already have lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants and basil growing in the basement? This year I am documenting/photographing my activities in preparation for a gardening lecture I will be doing in 2010.... all about vegetable gardening. I will post some photos on another entry.
Off and running.....

Get Well Message to ME!

The Latest and Greatest

Zach and Kylie...Jan. 2009.

February Fabrics (Quilts)

Here are two of the quilts i have been working on during the last month. They are both just the quilt tops (not finished and quilted yet.) The first one is called
Sweet Emma Rose and uses fabrics from the Moda design
collection.
Closeup of Sweet Emma Rose.












This baby/toddler "play" quilt uses the
Yellow Brick Road pattern and bright primary colors.

February blooms

It may be snowing outside but we are cozy inside enjoying winter blooms. The hyacinths have incredible fragrance, even Sam can't get close enough.




The Phalaenopsis (orchid) has been blooming since October. The trick will be to get it to rebloom later this year. The Clivia (large strappy leaves with emerging bloom) is a "first" time bloom for me; I purchased the plant 5 years ago!!! I think the flower will be a pastel peach color.

I can't believe how happy these dragon wing begonias are living in the basement under artificial lights. I plan to take cuttings for summer plants later this month. If it works,....... begonias for everybody!!








See Part II - February Fabrics...

Family

My favorite things--- spending time with Zach and Kylie. This from Thanksgiving '08, but plan to get current with their photos..

New Year's Resolutions

My first Resolution of the New Year is to keep up with this BLOG!! step #1 is to complete the posting before posting!! (which is not what happened with Christmas 2008 post!). The plan was to relate how quiet our Christmas was last year and hopefully, not to be repeated again. If no one is coming to visit us, I'm going to visit a family member (any volunteers ready to make the commitment??).
I plan to spend more time with Zach and Kylie

Quiet 2008 Christmas