Birds and More Birds

Speaking of birds...I took my little Prairie Schooler project with me last night, and worked on it while waiting for an Oregon Basketball game to begin, during halftime, and during time-outs.  Its beginning to resemble a chicken! 

Monday was such a grey, rainy day I did not get outside until about 10:30am.  That turned out however, to be the perfect time for some bird-watching.

The California Quail roamed around the backyard.

But the Jewel in the Crown is just below...and illustrates that patience is its own reward. As I walked around to the house, I could hear a woodpecker working away.  Not talking mind you, just a "thud" then "thud" and another "thud" as he drilled holes into a tree.  The sound was loud enough in the morning quiet that I felt if I concentrated on listening in the direction of the sound, I would be rewarded with seeing the bird...  

And I was!

My Pileated Woodpecker friend was in a live Douglas Fir.

This photo is all about the strength of the zoom lens on my camera as I was easily 75 yards away from the bird.

If you enlarge either of the pictures you can see the holes he has already drilled on the front of the tree.

I also spied an Anna Hummingbird at the feeder. 

And when I circled back to the backyard, the Quail were long-gone.  Perhaps this Red Tailed Hawk is the reason why. Danger! Danger! 

Spring and Chickens and Eggs

I've decided a need a "little" project. 

It's Spring...moving toward Easter, so I've chosen to kit up the Hen and Chicks (top row) of this Prairie Schooler chart.  I think making an actual chick ornament is way beyond my skill-set, but I can be happy with a rectangular finish. 

 

And speaking of domesticated fowl, last weekend I was the happy recipient of a dozen fresh chicken eggs laid by Alice, Grace, and Lily. Chickens can make a wonderful addition to your garden - eatting small pests and providing fertilizer. 

Grace

Look at the lovely eggs!

Alice laid the blue/green eggs, Grace the red/brown eggs, and Lily the pale buff eggs.

Lily

No need to dye these for Easter - they are lovely as is!

Alice, Lily, and Grace

Thanks so much girls!

There are more Garden ideas at The Tuesday Garden Party.

The Tuesday Chicken Report

First up... how about this? 

This Workbasket chart combines two of my current obsessions passions...chickens and Quaker motifs!  If I can manage to count correctly there should not be any mess ups as it just uses one color of Belle Soie silk.

On Saturday my father and I attended the Eugene Celebration Parade.

There were not one, but two, chicken entries!

The Friendly Street Neighborhood

Hundred Hen March

Adults, kids, chickens, and bicycles

Note the boy with his extremely calm hen.  He carried her the entire parade.

  

A hen-den.  It was rumored that hens laid two eggs during the parade.

The Friendly Street Farmers have an amazingly dense web presence too.

  

These might have been the cutest chickens in the parade.

This was the 2nd chicken entry in the parade.

They are nameless as I cannot recall the group's name.

Continuing on the chicken theme, my friend Bev sent me updated photos of her girls.  They are now beginning to lay - very small eggs.

They look to be very content young ladies.

 They have a nice coop and a wonderful yard to explore.

 

And so ends your Tuesday Chicken Report!

Something to Crow About

Design - "Wee Rooster"

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen

Fibers - GAST & WDW

Started - 1 August 2010

Completed - 5 August 2010 

Something to crow about indeed!  I finished this up last evening.  I did change the border stitch - it called for using two threads, and I thought that looked too bulky.  So I changed to one thread - I think that has a more "detailed" look to the stitch.

 

If you allow a single "wild" verbascum (mullein) to grow and go so seed, this is what you get the following year!  It's too bad we are not raising mullein as a food crop!

Another hazy morning - according to the newspaper we are getting smoke from the large fire in Russia - it truly is a small world after all.

 

Arctotis - Pumpkin Pie

Roosters and Cat Worries

"Wee Rooster" is stitching up quite nicely.  The border is rather complicated - uses a "new to me" stitch called Crossed Corner Cushion.  I've saved that for later when I'm feeling more confident.

This morning as I filled up the birdfeeders, I was "helped" by five barn swallows perched in the garage, two three-point bucks eating birdfood out of the feeders, a couple of chipmunks, a bunny or two...

but no Cleo-Cat!

   

She is an indoor/outdoor cat.  Monday night we all were outside until about 9:00pm enjoying the evening and watching the barn swallows. 

Tuesday morning, no sign of Cleo.

We've called and called - looked all around our property inside and out.  Now it's time to create a flyer to handout, post on Craig's List, and talk to our neighbors. 

Chicken Progress and More Mini Conifers

Bent Creek's "March Blows" is turning out to be a fast stitch.  I did not work on it for more than an hour or so yesterday, and made good progress.  I'll probably be able to finish it up today.

In other chicken news...

our friend's "girls" are growing into handsome young hens.

They have imprinted on their owner and are easily fed by hand.

It's Tuesday - "Garden Party Day" - so I thought I'd continue to share photos and info about the dwarf conifers I own. 

Three of the four green pots above are centered with conifers for year-around interest.  In May I add in annuals and perennials to "plump" up the color.

Abies blasamea "Nana"

This dwarf balsam fir has super color.  The older growth is dark green, the new growth a bright green.  It will make a tight blue-green flat topped 2' mound when mature.  It lives happily in zones 3-6. 

Juniperus squamata "Blue Star"

This juniper called Blue Star has super color and great spiky branches.  IT is quite small - the lobelia and nasturtiums are almost overwhelming it.  When mature it will be just 2' high and make a low mound.  It tolerates full sun and grows well in zones 4-9.  The dense blue foliage is a year-around performer.

  

Chamaecyparis thyoides "Shiva"

I've had this plant for several years now - 5? - 8? And it has double in size during that time.  It is still a reasonable "pot-plant" ringed with Arctotis daisies in a whiskey barrel.  Again a full sun tolerant, I have it on the north side of the house so it does well in semi-shade too.  According to the tag it is supposed to reach 6' in height, but is taking it's own sweet time to get there. The tag describes the foliage as a soft blue-green - I'd call it more for a lime green. 

Unknown

I've lost the tag for this beauty - a fir?  A spruce?  I've had it for about three years now and it is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.  I can vouch that it weathered our 10F December 2009 temperatures without a dropped needle.

 

Chamaecyparis l. "Somerset"

I bought this plant from Xera in early June.  As my Grandfather used to say, 

"It is bee-you-tea-full."  It is a lovely cypress and will grow to 8' in 5 years.  Its new growth is a light chartreuse before turning into a light blue-green.  So in the spring, this a a two-toned plant - the outer plant one color, the inner plant another.  It is good to zone 5b and will take -15F!  Also is drought tolerant when established and resistant to sub-freezing winds.  A keeper for sure.   

Last week I had several comments to my post and some great suggestions for other conifers to use in containers including:

Platycladus orientalis 'Aureus Nanus'

and Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Curly Tops'.

March Chickens and July Sedums

I know, I know - this is what my sister refers to as "Stitching out of season".  Based on the title, I should have down this as winter was coming to a close, however it does work with my current chicken motif fascination.  So be it - this is what I'm stitching next.

Much, much cooler today - and very welcome in my book.  I am not a fan of +90F days.  So even though this morning is grey, it works for me.  I can back off from watering a bit.

Several of my sedums (and hens and chicks) have begun to bloom or a just about ready to pop. 

Sedum

Sedum

Sedum

Hen and Chicks

My nasturtiums have loved this hot weather.

While I was out this morning, someone was on border patrol.

A Chicken Finish and Gardening in Pots

Design - "Chicken" - Wool Whimsy - Barnyard Quartet (kit)

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen

Floss - WDW

Started - 29 June 2010

Completed - 3 July 2010

This is a cutie. I did give up on adhering the small scrap of wool with a blanket stitch to the wing - it was not a pretty sight!  This design is part of a barnyard quartet, and also includes a sheep, a pig, and a cow.  I do like the sheep design...so someday...maybe!  

On the gardening front, I've become enamored with dwarf evergreens. Hybridizers have been hard at work and there are now wonderful small trees with great color and form that are hardy to zones 5-7.

So even if you garden on a porch or patio you too can enjoy these year-around performers.

    

Cupressus macrocarpa "Wilma Goldcrest"

And so my first example is not so dwarf, as this Monterey cypress will grow to be 7' tall over the next five years or so.  I currently have it in an extremely small pot and will need to settle it into a better and more sizable home before winter rolls around.  But even at 7' it is still a good tree for a small space as it is columnar in nature and is to span only 2'-3' in width.  It is hardy to 5-10F.

Cupressus arizonica "Sulfurea"

I love this cypress and the green/brown pot in which I planted it!  The center of the cypress is a deep blue/green, the outer branches are a bright yellow-green.  It is really stunning. Again, this is going to become a sizable plant, but it will only be 9' over the next ten years - so there is plenty of time to enjoy it in a planter.

Cryptomeria japonica "Vilmoriniana"

Switching to Japanese cedars, this one is truly a dwarf, and will reach only about 3' when mature.  It has fluffy green-green foliage which turns bronze in the late fall and winter.  This is a new plant for me, and I cannot wait to see it's autumnal color.  It is hardy zones 5-9 and enjoys full sun.

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana "Nymph"

I have this cypress planted in a whiskey barrel.  I love the tiny spiky foliage.  It too is a true dwarf and grows only about 1" a year to mature at 3' - a great evergreen container plant.  It is hardy to zones 5-9.

So I Was Thinking...

So, I was thinking...I might stitch up a ladybug pattern.

I seem to have a number of new ones once again.

And yet, I am still taken with chicken motifs.

And I've found a couple of new charts.

This one has polka-dot chickens!

The chart is called "Saltbox Chickens Thread Palette Prims" kit and it by Island Cottage.  I found it on ABC Stitch Therapy's website.

I also was told of a very cute blog called The Polka Dot Chicken - check it out. 

 

I think though, that this Heart in Hand kit, called "Chicken" will be my next stitch.  There is nothing to match the convenience and instant gratification of a kit - chart, fibers, floss, and embellishments all there - ready to stitch.

Mules Ears

This time of year, some of the sunny meadows nearby are ablaze with golden flowers.  These are commonly called Mule's Ears because of the shape of the leaves - long and narrow.  The Latin name is Wyethia amplexicaulis. 

This area also has Coreopsis...

and Bachelor Buttons.

I think someone amended the Mule's Ears with a generic wildflower mix. 

I call my sister's garden a heritage garden.  She inherited it from neighbors who began gardening on the site in the late 1930's.  This is one of the heirloom roses that still survives.  Each year it has but one or two blossoms - they last only two or three days - but they are exquisitely lovely and a remembrance of people and times past.