Wednesday Woes

Design - "April Rabbit"

Chart - "April"

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 27 April 2014

Completed - 27 April 2014

This brown bunny is surrounded by pink flowers.

My brown bunny has purple Iris as a natural frame.

I do like bunnies! I even have a Hare and a Rabbit Emma Bridgewater Mug.

Today we are supposed to break records and reach 86F!  That's 10 degrees warmer than yesterday which was unseasonably warm.

This kind of weather is good house painting weather. Yep we've got painters working on the exterior of the house.  They've been at it (on and off due to rain) for a couple of weeks. They now say that they'll be done Friday or Saturday.

I cannot wait as I've had to move (for the gazillionth time in the last few months) all my plants from the Front Porch and the Back Patio.  It kind of put payed to my late bulbs - Tulips mostly.  The violas and pansies though haven't seemed to mind their temporary quarters on a camp table.

I have been buying replacement plants as I lost lots and lots this winter.

The plants are safe from the deer on the floor of the shop.

I am limited as to what I can plant right now as I have to wait for the painters to finish up - there are no Deer Free Zones available now. 

I did decide to get everything ready for my sedum / succulent display figuring that the deer leave them pretty much alone. 

I had an eager Gardening Companion, 

so yesterday I planted some fuchsias.

I'll have to keep them in the garage until the Front Porch is ready.

Last year I had everything all set out and my gardening done by the 5th of May.  No so this year! Each year is its own unique gardening adventure!

Fittingly We Feature Eggs and Birds

Design - "Little Eggs" (kit)

Designer - Shepherd's Bush

Fabric - unknown 32 count linen

Fibers - unknown silks - 1 strand over 2 threads

Satin stitch - 2 strands

Started - 16 April 2014

Completed - 28 April 2014

Here are Five Eggs for your enjoyment!

I finished this stitch up yesterday morning and I decided to go with the cleaner look - minus the sentiment. I do like the muted pastel color pallet and the satin stitch border.

And here are a gazillion geese.

Once again my morning included the faint honking of dozens and dozens of geese flying high overhead. 

And here's someone I don't often see - another vocal bird - a Crow.

The Violet-Green Swallows continue to shop for housing.  I don't think that any of the couple have settled yet - they are still all involved in fierce bidding wars.  

The Goldfinches are now omnipresent at the feeders.  

This bird - now it is a bit of a puzzle.

I'm not seeing anything in my bird books that is a clear match.

Is it just a variation of a female Lesser Goldfinch? 

I think if I had but one photo each day, I'd chose to feature my California Quail.

Speaking of vocal birds!

This male Pileated Woodpecker hollered yelled called out so loudly and strongly that I knew he had to be close at hand.  

As it turned out he was in a snag behind the shop so it took me a bit to find him.  He didn't stay very long and left as I attempted to move in closer.

By the way pileated means that the bird has a crest on the pileum which is the top of the head from the beak to the nape.  

Hail Hail The Gangs All Here

Design - "Rabbit"

Chart - "Woodland Sampling"

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 25 April 2014

Completed - 26 April 2014

I decided that a couple of Prairie Schooler bunnies were calling my name.

Here's the first one.

Sunday was a cold windy rainy day that managed to let lose with a pretty good 15 minute shower of hail.  

Lots of the birds 'puffed up' to combat the cooler temps including this Scrub Jay.

The Band-tailed Pigeon looked so imposing I thought for a moment that it was a hawk.

Even the little Downy seemed to be wearing an extra down jacket.

The Sapsuckers have not yet come to the feeders, but I do hear them tapping away on the trees close by.

So far just one male Black-headed Grosbeak has shown up. 

He's a very quiet guy too - I don't think he's said one word.   

The Evening Grosbeaks have dominated the conversation.

I've had as many as three females and eight males at my feeders.

The Evening Grosbeaks aren't thrilled with me at the moment.  As part of my Band-tailed Pigeon Prevent Plan I've removed the trays from the bottom of the sunflower tube feeders.    

The smaller feeder side perches are still available guys!

Otherwise the darned pigeons (up to 30 at a time) can wipe out my feeders in fifteen minutes.  I can't afford to feed them and you guys too!

Sunday's Sermon All Creatures Great and Small

This Sunday morning I give thanks for all the beauty that surrounds me. 

High, high up in the sky...

Skein after skein of geese fly by.

Closer to the ground I am charmed by a male House Finch.

He's a rather handsome fellow.

The deer placidly graze.

An Evening Grosbeaks watches quizzically.

Look how bright yellow the tail feathers are.

An American Goldfinch and a Lesser Goldfinch have a confab. 

The bunny knows...

He is being observed.

 Ten American Goldfinches!

And five chipmunks on the Big Woodpile.

As you can see I gave them some peanuts as a treat for staying off the Back Patio!  Good Chipmunks - you'll live longer that way!

All Creatures Great and Small in my Backyard.

Saturday Plant Plans

We're supposed to have a break in the rain this morning.

I need to work with my plants and see what has survived and what needs to be replaced.  I lost lots of plants this year with our two unusually cold spells in December and February.

While I'm doing that...

The cats will take a Bunny Census.

Aren't these two just the cutest ever?

Remember how I said some critters like dust baths?

That's what this one is doing.

He's rolling in the ashes of an old burn pile.

On the bird front I've been neglecting my Steady Regulars.  

House Finch

A pair of Chestnut-back Chickadees

Chestnut-backed Chickadee closeup

I had a small feeder in this Japanese Maple.

After the Band-tailed Pigeons swarmed it, I gave up and took down the feeder. 

One of my male Downy Woodpeckers. 

A male Orange-shafted Flicker.

You can tell by the state of his bill that he has been looking for bugs in the muddy ground.  Now it must be time for dessert at the Suet Bar!

And yes, there is a Chipmunk lurking in the woodpile!