Garden Grumbles and Cross Stitch Fumbles: Angel Stitchin

Showing posts with label Angel Stitchin. Show all posts

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Critters in the Snow

Design - ABC Sno

Designer - Angel Stitchin'

Fabric - 28 count French Country Riviera
Started - 17 January 2010
Completed - 15 February 2010
I messed with the "W", "X" and "V" so that I could spell "SNOW" rather than "SNO" using WDW.

The snowy weather did not preclude bird and critter activity.

Steller's Jay

Pine Siskins and Lesser Goldfinches

Anna's Hummingbird

Male House Finch

Anna's Hummingbird

Pine Siskins

Male Anna's Hummingbird

Deer

Still guarding and watching in the cold!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Watching is Rewarded

Design - "Country Chicken" (kit)

Designer - Angel Stitchin'

Fabric - 28 count Shell linen

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 2 May 2012

Completed - 9 May 2012

This kit came complete with the frame.

Parvati has been keeping an eye on all things avian.

She thinks I've focused too much attention on the Evening Grosbeaks to the detriment of the Black Headed Grosbeaks. This is a female.

My father cut the grass with his tractor a couple of days ago. Now that the grass cuttings have dried, the Violet Green Swallows are swooping down and grabbing bits to use in their nest building.

Sorry Parvati, back to Evening Grosbeaks.

A guy...

A gal...

A gal and a guy...

Five guys and a gal!

I've now counted as many as 10 male Evening Grosbeaks.

Our mornings are noisy with their Grosbeak Gossip.

And here is a most unexpected visitor early Wednesday morning...

I saw two Lazuli Buntings. Aren't they the prettiest birds?

I hope they stick around.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Chicken Feathers and Horse Tails

I worked the littlest bit on Angel Stitchin's "Country Chicken". This is a OOP limited edition kit. I found it on eBay and have not seen it available anywhere else.

Lots of people think that Common Horsetails (Equisetum arvense) are a weed, in part because they are next to impossible to eradicate. We have a couple of nice patches at the edge of our Big Creek.

I like 'em - in part because they are visual reminders of how the world looked a gazillion years ago. (Think dinosaurs!)

These are two types of Horsetails - these are fertile ones. Like ferns, they are able to reproduce via spores (not seeds), but also spread as rhizomes.

These bright green Horsetails are sterile.

The ancient Romans ate young fertile horsetails as if they were asparagus, used them to make a tea, and as a scouring powder.

Ferns and Horsetails are both long term adaptors. It is amazing that they have survived numerous geological eras, climate changes, and herbivores, and are still happily growing in our 'modern' world.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

It's May Day! Time for a new stitching theme. I've picked this Angel Stitchin' kit, "Country Chicken" as my first May project. You may have noticed I have a new header too. I'll share the details tomorrow.

Spring waits for no woman!

Let's see what's going on here and with the other contributors to The Garden Party over at An Oregon Cottage.

About three years ago, my sister gave this lovely Crabapple to our Mom on Mother's Day. It's called "Royal Raindrops" and it is loaded with buds.

Everyone one needs a Garden Helper, right?

Parvati took it upon herself to act as mine.

I spent part of Sunday and Monday emptying my little greenhouse. Now all it has are 6 small pepper plants (my sister's) and 4 hot house begonias.

First up my tender succulents. They all over-wintered well, and are outside adjusting to spring temperatures and weather.

Next up a group of tender Fuchsias. I had 24 Fuchsias, and 20 survived - 83%. The 4 that did not make it were all on the top shelf of the greenhouse. I don't know if that is symptomatic - a temperature or watering issue perhaps. I do know that this winter I used a watering wand. That was a tremendous help getting back in tight corners and making sure that everything got watered.

These are my "Big Seven" Fuchsias . I had a much better survival rate this year than last. I give credit to the watering wand. Now I need to eradicate white fly on a few of the plants. Any suggestions?

Some of my Hostas have come back to full force already.

This is "June".

This is "Popcorn".

This is "Little Wonder".

This is "Winsome".

I still need to add some time release fertilizer and a bit of mulch to refresh the plants in pots.

Here's the latest photo of Muscari "Fantasy Creation".

My pot of Muscari "Ocean Magic". I love the light blue color.

This is the Clematis "Early Sensation". One week later it as gone from buds to blossom. I have this growing in a large pot on a small trellis - about 4' tall in the shade of our Front Porch.

All that tidying up required a reward. A flat of new plants - just the ticket! I got three Belarina Primroses (front), a couple of Fuchsias, and a striking Primula veris 'Sunset Shades' (back left) as well as 2 basic Primula veris (back center). I well remember the first time I saw wild Primula veris along the bank of a lake in Ireland - stunning! Nicola at Stitching by the Cornish Sea just posted pictures of her son's wedding including a lovely photo of the primrose strewn churchyard with the wedding party - take a look!