Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Frogging and Gardening

I did not stitch the beehive in the correct alignment with border. But after careful study I found that I can frog the top of the border and lower it and all will be good - whew!

So let's move on to gardening where I've not seen any signs of frogs.  It's time for the Tuesday Garden Party and Maple Hill Blog Hop.  Are you ready?

This week I am sharing my Front Porch garden efforts.
The east side of the porch is the long side.  

I have several begonias on each side of the steps.

The chairs and the stool are Ikea kids' products.
I bought four plastic end tables in different colors this year. 

One is dark sage, another a bright pink. I had some white wooden tables, but what with watering plants the wood warped and the paint chipped and bubbled.  With plastic no worries!

I have a Passion vine, I'll be interested to see if it blooms.

Lots and lots and lots of fuchsias.

The west side of the porch is the short side.

It is home to most of my ferns and hostas - I think I counted 31 hostas and 16 ferns.

With all our uber-hot days of late, I find a vignette of green to be cool and refreshing.

White plastic table with blue pots.

Blue table and pots.

As June turns into July I am enjoying fragrant sweetpeas, and lots of begonia and fuchsia blossoms. I hope you are enjoying summer in all its glory.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Leaving the Nest


Design - "Bee Ornament"
Chart - "Where There Are Bees" #193
Designer - The Prairie Schooler
Fabric - 28 count white Cashel
Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 22 June 2015
Completed - 26 June 2015

I like the simplicity of this design - only two colors of DMC.  I appreciate that Prairie Schooler designs call for basic colors of linen like Lambswool, and use DMC floss.  I almost always have everything I need to stitch a PS design in my stash.  Nice.

This weekend the swallows were busy, busy, busy. 
Feeding their young...

...and encouraging the babies to 'fly the coop' 

The babies did fly, but not far and perched and pouted on the eaves above their birdhouse.   

Parvati thought all the comings and going were most interesting.

My big fat baby Tree Swallow did not want to leave.

Though she'd pop out about 1/2 way.

Look at all the encouragement she received from a Barn Swallow above on the left and her father, the Tree Swallow above on the right. 

Daddy Bird is such a pretty blue!

"Do I have to leave home Dad?"

Here an adult Violet-green Swallow sits on the eaves...

...keeping a baby Violet-green Swallow company. 

"Should I stay or should I go?" (ask the Kinks!)

Aren't these two the cutest feathered things?

I still have three Violet-green houses with babies.  I am hoping they leave soon as it is supposed to get very hot through the 15th of July; and the bird houses have to be stifling.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Hummingbird Sunday


My male hummingbirds are AWOL...

...fortunately I have lots of females...

...like this Rufous Hummingbird.

I have several females - at least three I think.

They are aggressive little things and try to run off the Goldfinches! 

I also have several female Anna's. 

I wonder if the small throat patch means this is a young male Rufous.

Both the Rufous...

...and the Anna's have been frequenting my feeders.

With our very hot weather I am changing out the nectar every other day so it does not spoil and harm the birds. 

The male Rufous used to hang out in the trees in the backyard.  Now I jsut see females. 

Kinda' strange.

I do have lots of plants in bloom now and the hummers are working away.

They are so very acrobatic.

Buzzzz!!!!

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Shhh!!!

It's Saturday morning and everyone is dozing. 

We named this young buck "Unicorn' as one antler is much longer than the other. Is he sticking his tongue out at me?  

This bunny is both dozing...

...and enjoying a refreshing dust bath.

Dozing...

Sleepy...

Hopping down the Bunny Trail.

Having a snack.

Having a nap.

Shhh!!!

"Do I hear someone approaching?"

"It's that pesky Unicorn!"

Dozing doe

We've named this doe Gimpy Girl has she has injured her front right leg and has a pronounced limp.

Afternoon naps are nice too.

Cat Naps are required!