Stitching for Winter Reading for Spring

With a fresh dusting of snow this morning - how about a mitten report? 


I've been working on Trilogy's "Wonderland".  The border is done - and looks great if I do say so.  Now on to the Cardinal and finishing up the mitten.  

Spring must be on the way folks!  Today an Oregon Cottage is hosting the first Tuesday Garden Party of 2012.  Besides lusting after numerous plants and seeds in catalogues and on-line, the winter Garden months are best spent reading about gardens and gardeners.  

My sister introduced me to the writings of Joan Dye Gussow, a professor and nutritionist; who in the early 1970's, tracked the environmental and health hazards of an increasingly globalizing food system.  While most of my gardening is 'ornamental', fruit and vegetable writings resonate as I become more and more interested (concerned) about food provenance, GMOS, Monsanto, and other food related issues. You can read more about Joan here and here.  I highly recommend her two books - they should be read in chronological order - "This Organic Life" then "Growing Older".

For a much lighter read I recommend "A Blessing of Toads" by Sharon Lovejoy.  This collection of short essays originally appeared in the magazine "Country Living".  The essays are charming and upbeat - an appreciation of the many critters who dwell in Sharon's garden.  Wonderful illustrations too.

The Weather Outside is ... Changeable

Design - "Six Mittens in a Row" - Heart Mittens

Designer - SamSarah Design Studio

Fabric - 28 count R & R Dark Cappuccino

Fibers - Crescent Colours - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 20 February 2012

Completed - 2 March 2012

I like this just fine.  Next year I might have to stitch up another pair in this series as I'm not yet ready to join the Mitten Knitting Brigade. 

Speaking of mittens, the forecast is for a bit of snow tonight / tomorrow morning.  In western Oregon that's just crazy.  Usually if we've not had snow by mid-February, then it'll be a snow-free winter.  The possibility of snow is especially wacky as on Sunday I worked outside for a couple of hours watering my Front Porch, Greenhouse, and Under the Eaves plants.  I enjoyed the sunshine and warm temperatures.  Parvati, a long-haired cat, got so warm she moved into the shade.  I worked comfortably without a coat or even a sweater in a short-sleeved cotton dress.  Craziness.   

Okay today I'm sharing Cute Chipmunk Photos - enjoy!

Close...

...closer...

...and closer still!

So darned cute!

On high -alert.

Note the handy Escape Passage - the white drain-pipe.

Chipmunk Cheeks!

Bunnies, Chicks, and Eggs

Happy March!  Happy Spring! 

Though Easter is in April this year, I couldn't resist Bunnies and Chicks as I have a different take planned for the April Blogger Header. Anyway we can prepare for Easter in March, right? 

Horizontal Rows...

Row One: Alexandrina, "Easter Rabbits" (freebie), JWB Designs, "The Bunny Collection - Plaid Bunny", The Cricket Collection, "Family Rabbits" #17 "Rabbit with Alphabet", JWB Designs, "The Bunny Collection - Alphabet Bunny".

Row Two: Lizzie Kate, "Happy Hoppy Easter", The Cricket Collection, "Which Came First?" (freebie), Lizzie Kate, "Spring Basket", Ewe & Eye & Friends, "Bunny in a Basket" (Blacksheep kit). 

 

Row Three: Bent Creek, "The Bunnies" (kit), then below Heart in Hand, "Hoppin' Hare" (kit), Bent Creek, "Chick on an Egg" (kit), Ewe & Eye & Friends, "Spring Two" (chick), "Better Homes & Gardens Cross Stitch & Country Crafts" July/Aug 1987 -"Rabbit ABC's" by Joan Toggit, Heart in Hand, "Easter Sampler" (kit).

Any questions leave a comment or email me if you are set up as a "No Reply".

Hey Sampler Lovers!

In other cool news the University of Delaware is compiling searchable online database of 17th, 18th, and 19th century American samplers. Click here to read the article.

Decisions Decisions

If and when I finish up a couple of my 'Mitten Stitches', I have a large selection of 'Eastery/Rabbity/Springy' stitches from which to chose for my next project.  Plus - I confess, I've been drooling over the Nashville Market releases - but then, who hasn't?

The birds are glad the snow is long gone.

A Towhee and a Song Sparrow

An inquisitive Steller's Jay

A Golden Crowned Sparrow and a Towhee

A Steller's Jay, "Yah' got food buddy?"

Marching Mittens

The downside of using variegated flosses is that sometimes you have to frog out and restitch.  At least I did for this design in order to have dark enough "Olive" to clearly define the outlines of the two overlapping mittens.  So this February stitch has turned out to be a March Mitten Finish.  I hope to have it done this weekend.

Even though we had a snowy Wednesday...

There were still visitors to the feeders including this group of Pine Siskins.

This sweet Junco sought shelter from the snow and wind in a nook by the kitchen back door.  In this close up it is easy to see the puffed, downy feathers. 

Hummingbirds have to eat - especially in the snow when insects are difficult to find.

I was pleased to have Ms. Hairy Woodpecker come swooping in to alight on the peanut feeder during the snow. 

Wintry Stitching / Wintry Walk

It snowed on and off most of yesterday and I'm still feeling cozy.

I should be wearing a pair of these great socks.  Or knitting a pair (if I knew how to knit).  These socks are on display at my favorite Home and Garden Store - Down to Earth.

Down to Earth comes through with mittens too.  I've been cross stitching mittens this year as knitting is beyond me. Yesterday was a day for a pair of mittens like these.

I bundled up with earmuffs and gloves (no mittens - no wonderful socks)  and trundled out for a Wednesday Walk.

Most of the snow fell between 5am and 8am Wednesday morning.

Very pretty.

I do enjoy watching the snow fall.

We didn't get all that much as you can see with the grasses sticking up through it.

And it melted off the trees pretty quickly.

The additional precipitation had Dorothy's Creek churning right along.

I liked how this nest created a cone to hold the snow.

The Big Creek was brown with new water and silt.

Our February Gold daffodils didn't seem to mind the snow.

They are one of our earliest varieties.

The Osoberry has now budded out so far that the new leaves form a drooping, dangling fall.  

I found some deer tracks.

This poor clump of daffodils was almost buried in the snow which fell from our roof.

Don't the Snowdrops look right at home?

I hope you've enjoyed this week's Wintry Walk!  I'm going inside for a cup of Hot Chocolate.  I only drink it when it snows!