I don't know where you live, but HERE we had a bit of nice spring weather and then we got blasted TWICE with more winter. Now that the temperature is finally Helen-friendly, I check the Weather Network and see that the pollen counts are off the charts - which explains the sneezing and stuffy sinuses. Nevertheless... I love spring!!! When the weather gets warm and I can strip off the jacket, scarf and mitts I have a difficult time staying indoors.
1. The asparagus is up and needs to be cut every morning. Harvesting (heh heh, I love that term) is best done before noon, when the plant is fresh after a good night's sleep and has sent all it's energy up into the world.
2. Lettuce has reseeded itself from last year's crop. This needs to be inspected every day and overcrowding dealt with by judicious harvesting. Don't buy baby greens from the grocery store... take those thinned out babies into the house, rinse them off and store them in damp paper towels in the fridge. Eat later with a light salad dressing. Yum.
3. That damned garlic is at it again, sprouting everywhere it shouldn't. Large clumps need to be dug up, separated, and replanted where they belong.
4. Oh, the lovely peas you planted during the nasty rainy and cold weather are up. Yippee! Now to weed... you can't do that until the peas are sprouted 'cause you would be courting disaster.
5. The Raspberry patch needs to be corralled. Raspberries spread by runners and they will end up taking over whatever space they feel entitled to. Chop off the offenders and rip them out, or transplant them into pots, to share with a friend. DH and I used to throw a plant swap every spring. We'd barbecue burgers and hot dogs. Guests would bring side dishes along with transplants from their gardens. It was a big horticultural free-for-all. One of the guys brought a zillion garden gloves from Costco. He had only recently moved and had no plants to share, but he was able to take home enough to make a really good start. One year our neighbours came on their lawn tractor, and contributed a huge landscape rock. This type of event is best done in the spring or early summer because that's when we're all dealing with the over-abundance.
6. Strawberries. See issues with 3. Garlic and 5. Raspberries. These things are EVERYWHERE. Again - dig 'em out and either transplant or share. Your friends will love you.
7. Oh, your quilter has discovered the CILANTRO seedlings and is perhaps rolling around in them. Just like 2. Lettuce, this will reseed itself into beautiful large patches of spicy, lemony, goodness. On the downside it also must be weeded, as you can clearly see.
8. Johnny Jump-Ups. 😊😊😊😊😊 These little violas are completely edible. Bake a cake!! Decorate it with petals!! Your friends will think you are completely off your rocker.
9. We cannot forget the Useless Assistant. She wants to go for a walk. How can you refuse on such a gorgeous day???
MY FAVE FROM ST. JACOBS
I always have a good time with the Beach Girls, and St. Jacobs was no exception. I was disappointed that my quilt was not hanging at the show, they had it laid over a small table, which does not show it to it's best effect. However there was not one single inch of space left in the building for hanging quilts, so I understand why it was displayed that way.
My favorite was absolutely this Dresden Plate.
Appliqued and hand embroidered.
Hand quilted. So often I'm disappointed with hand quilting because there just isn't enough quilting. (Not that anyone cares what I think.) But this one?... gorgeous!
Oh, love.
Kudos to Dorothy Sittler, whoever she may be. Beautiful.
9 REASONS WHY YOUR LONGARMER MIGHT BE LATE WITH YOUR QUILT IN THE SPRING
1. The asparagus is up and needs to be cut every morning. Harvesting (heh heh, I love that term) is best done before noon, when the plant is fresh after a good night's sleep and has sent all it's energy up into the world.
2. Lettuce has reseeded itself from last year's crop. This needs to be inspected every day and overcrowding dealt with by judicious harvesting. Don't buy baby greens from the grocery store... take those thinned out babies into the house, rinse them off and store them in damp paper towels in the fridge. Eat later with a light salad dressing. Yum.
3. That damned garlic is at it again, sprouting everywhere it shouldn't. Large clumps need to be dug up, separated, and replanted where they belong.
4. Oh, the lovely peas you planted during the nasty rainy and cold weather are up. Yippee! Now to weed... you can't do that until the peas are sprouted 'cause you would be courting disaster.
5. The Raspberry patch needs to be corralled. Raspberries spread by runners and they will end up taking over whatever space they feel entitled to. Chop off the offenders and rip them out, or transplant them into pots, to share with a friend. DH and I used to throw a plant swap every spring. We'd barbecue burgers and hot dogs. Guests would bring side dishes along with transplants from their gardens. It was a big horticultural free-for-all. One of the guys brought a zillion garden gloves from Costco. He had only recently moved and had no plants to share, but he was able to take home enough to make a really good start. One year our neighbours came on their lawn tractor, and contributed a huge landscape rock. This type of event is best done in the spring or early summer because that's when we're all dealing with the over-abundance.
6. Strawberries. See issues with 3. Garlic and 5. Raspberries. These things are EVERYWHERE. Again - dig 'em out and either transplant or share. Your friends will love you.
7. Oh, your quilter has discovered the CILANTRO seedlings and is perhaps rolling around in them. Just like 2. Lettuce, this will reseed itself into beautiful large patches of spicy, lemony, goodness. On the downside it also must be weeded, as you can clearly see.
8. Johnny Jump-Ups. 😊😊😊😊😊 These little violas are completely edible. Bake a cake!! Decorate it with petals!! Your friends will think you are completely off your rocker.
9. We cannot forget the Useless Assistant. She wants to go for a walk. How can you refuse on such a gorgeous day???
MY FAVE FROM ST. JACOBS
I always have a good time with the Beach Girls, and St. Jacobs was no exception. I was disappointed that my quilt was not hanging at the show, they had it laid over a small table, which does not show it to it's best effect. However there was not one single inch of space left in the building for hanging quilts, so I understand why it was displayed that way.
My favorite was absolutely this Dresden Plate.
Appliqued and hand embroidered.
Hand quilted. So often I'm disappointed with hand quilting because there just isn't enough quilting. (Not that anyone cares what I think.) But this one?... gorgeous!
Oh, love.
Kudos to Dorothy Sittler, whoever she may be. Beautiful.
