Hodgepodge Saturday

I went to Down to Earth for a jolt of color.

And I found it with the arrangement of outdoor furniture. 

And this wall display of primroses.

I conversed briefly with this gathering of gnomes.

They said they were due to report back to their respective gardens for another year's duty.  

Down to Earth also had some bright banners and kites.

All served to brighten my day.

On the home front...

This Rufuos Hummingbird provided a flash of color. 

I like the mix of white and chocolate brown, and green. 

Eight Bushtits attacked the suet the other afternoon.

I have gotten really good at recognizing their 'chatter' before they I even see them fly in.

I think they look intelligent and inquisitive.

I counted three White-crowned Sparrows at the backyard feeders yesterday.

I also spied the quail having what will be the first of many dust baths as the weather warms and dries. This is not the best photo.  I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to take better ones next week as the temperatures are to be in the 70's - Dust Bath Weather! 

A Friday Finish

Design - "Spring's Arrival"

Chart - "March of the Daffodils"

Designer - Blackbird Designs

Fabric - 32 count Willow Belfast linen

Fibers - GAST & Crescent Colours - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started -29 March 2014

Completed - 3 April 2014

Changing fibers or fabric is normally S O far out of my comfort zone that I end up second-guessing myself and going back to the 'as charted' and safety.  For this stitch though Parsley gifted me with some lovely 'Willow' Belfast linen and when I 'tossed the floss' I liked what I saw.  Now that it is finished I'm really pleased with my personalization. Once again it was originally charted to be a stocking and I think my modification of the design also turned out well.

I've neglected the birds as of late.

Parvati reports that she's continued to man her station! 

This little Junco caught her eye.

It looks like it only has one leg - I hope the other is tucked up for warmth, but... 

Here's another - singing a sweet Ode to Spring

Mr. Quail marches along in April.

The Bushtits are still 'semi-regulars'.

They amused me the other day.  They wanted desperately to eat at the suet feeder, but there was a Flicker there, and they didn't have the courage to barge in.

The size disparity between the birds large and small was pretty amusing.

The Flicker finally left and they mobbed the suet.

I did see another White-crowned Sparrow. I'm glad it stopped by.

Someone is generally keeping watch!

Still no sign of a Mrs. Downy for my bachelor. 

I am getting Anna's and Rufuos hummingbirds at the feeder regularly. 

Lots of the small birds wait their turn in the brush that forms a berm at the edge of our backyard.

Remember I mentioned the Big Leaf Maples were budding out?

The House Finches are thrilled! 

Though they also still come to the feeders for sunflower seeds.

The Scrub Jays are the Kings of the Jays.  They muscle out the Steller's Jays time and again. And they fight - pretty fiercely amongst themselves.  I literally saw 'feathers fly' as one Scrub fended off another. 

Ah Spring!  It brings out the best in everyone!

April Projects April Blooms

 

So I think this is going to be my BIG project for April.

And this cutie is also going to be part of my stitching rotation!

Today my Mom and I decided to make good on our vow to explore gardens in our local area.  We set off to the Wallace M. Ruff Memorial Park and Magnolia Arboretum in Springfield, OR.

Founded in 1994, the 10 acre park edges Cedar Creek. 

It contains hundreds of young magnolias, a species believe to be among the oldest of all flowering plants. 

Magnolia 'Susan'

Our cold cold temperatures in December and February (-10F) were hard on the magnolias, so this was not an optimum display.

Magnolia 'Apollo' 
Nonetheless there were still some lovely trees.

Magnolia 'Alexandrina'
My mother was amused to find a Magnolia 'Elizabeth' (my name) and 'Alexandrina' (almost my sister's name) sited side-by-side.

Rufus
It turned out to be a lovely day with temperatures in the upper 60's.  No coat or sweater needed.

All the blooms had a blue sky backdrop.

I could hear hummingbirds working away in the trees though I was not able to photography any.

The park was very quiet and restful.  Just the sound of the creek and the birds.  

I was pleased to see native plants like violets, currants, and trilliums used in the beds along the park's border.

Thanks to Sue for alerting me that my April blog header photo had disappeared.  I think all is good now and the photo should show once again at the top of the web page.

What Moves Your Groove?

I know, it's April.  I'm supposed to have a new stitching theme.

But I started this little Blackbird Design Daffodil a couple of days ago. All I need is another hour or so and I'll have it wrapped up. 

What moves your groove on a pleasant April day?

A bunny? 

Nope.

A deer?

Nope.

A gray squirrel?

Nope. Not even a gray squirrel.

A chipmunk in the woodpile that's what gets Tom-Cat excited.

See the sunflower seed shells littering ground?

Here's the culprit!

I counted five, yes five of them waiting for me as I put out sunflower seeds.

New Month New Header No Fooling

Garden Grumbles Cross Stitch Fumbles & Birding Bumbles

April 2014 Blog Header

The theme this month is Spring/Rebirth.

Birds and wildflowers and one watchful cat.

Horizontal Rows as follows...(cross stitch in bold type).

Row #1: Male Evening Grosbeak, Fawn Lilies "Erythronium oregonum", The Cricket Collection, "Soft Boiled" - "Tiny Chick", The Cricket Collection, "Spring Bunnies I" - "Hens at Work", Trillium "Trillium parviflorum", Ewe & Ewe & Friends, "Spring Two".

Row #2: Sam Sarah Design Studio,"Six Eggs in a Row"; Robin, The Cricket Collection, "Eggs...etera" - "Painted Egg";  Tom-Cat, Ewe & Ewe & Friends, "Nest"; The Cricket Collection, "Soft Boiled" - "Tiny Bunny".

Row #3: Narcissus, "Passionale", The Cricket Collection, "Spring Bunnies I" - "Hens at Work".

Row #4: Lizzie Kate,"Egg Hunt" (kit); Shooting Stars or Rooster Bills "Dodecatheon hendersonii", The Cricket Collection, "Always Summer 3" - "The Pansy Patch",  Pileated Woodpecker, Oregon Blue Iris "Iris tenax", The Cricket Collection,"Which Came First?" (freebie);  Bleeding Heart "Dicentra formosa".

Row #5: Lizzie Kate,"A Little Easter" (kit), Plum tree, Lizzie Kate, "Samplings Easter"; Female and male American Goldfinch, Bent Creek, "Chick on an Egg" (kit).