Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Color, Color Everywhere!

     I have no idea how these days can be so busy! The countdown is on for the end of the school year; only five more Mondays, that's how I'm counting it.
     We're experiencing what I call a real New England spring in Virginia this year. Mild days alternate with bitterly cold days. Flowers are budding only to be sprinkled with sleet the next day. On Monday I grilled hamburgers outside under a sky that was spitting ice pellets. Today was mild enough to go without a jacket. I'm glad spring is approaching slowly and tentatively. It will be over much too quickly as it is. This way draws it out a little more.
     I realized that I fall in love with spring over and over again, every year. I've lived through fifty-nine springs and I've fallen in love with each one that I can remember. Tomorrow, when the sun rises and I look at the daffodils along the driveway (again), I'll be falling in love with spring (again). Today I got excited over the crab apple trees. They are exceptionally full of blossoms this year. The cherry trees appear to have a good amount of blossoms, too.
Add caption


      We've begun a few outdoor projects, one of which was to take down all the horse fencing. We decided that it was a pretty sure thing we wouldn't keep horses anymore. Therefore, we preferred not to keep up fence repairs nor have to mow around all that fencing as well. Our friends came with their tractor and pulled out all the fence posts. Then Steve went around with a pick up load of gravel and filled in about one hundred post holes. Our friends will reuse the posts and fencing on their farm. It's the sad end of an era for us, but it's okay.
     We also tore out the raised bed gardens that we installed five years ago. Those railroad ties already rotted and they had to go. Their usefulness was much to short lived. We had the entire area scraped of sod and we'll install new beds with gravel all around them. I'll post photos of that project as it comes together.
     I've been happily hooking a lot : ) Last weekend I drove my friend and myself to Richmond for the Virginia Rugfest which took place at the Virginia Fine Arts Museum. We had a beautiful drive and loads of fun. I bought a lovely pattern called, "Art Deco" by Joanne Gerwig at woodcrestrugdesigns.com. Rebecca Erb had a great vendor booth set up featuring Joanne's patterns and loads of gorgeous wool. The guest speaker and featured artist was Michelle Micarelli. You can see many of the rugs she brought to the show on her website. The Shockoe Slip Rug Hookers Guild put on a great event.
"Field of Flowers" (large size) Joanne Gerwig Design

"Art Deco" (Joanne Gerwig Design) detail


"Cotton's Cabin" by Michelle Micarelli
    
Detail of mermaid's fin in "Guarding Marina" by Michelle Micarelli.

4 comments:

  1. I loved seeing your trees in bloom as it is snowing here again today. I am beginning to think Winter will never end. The rugs are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely blooms around you! And I admire your rug hooking so much - I've never seen anything like those before.

    The blooming trees are waning here, some stray dogwood blossoms about. It's gorgeous and green, but still a little chilly here, alternating with warm days. Crazy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pretty blooms, pretty hooking, pretty thoughts on only five more Mondays!

    ReplyDelete
  4. If you are having a New England spring, Lenora, than I wonder what I would call the season here in NH? It hardly looks like spring has arrived and your cherry blooms were quite nice to see. I've only seen a few daffodils and crocus on recent walks. Even the trees are holding back on budding.

    ReplyDelete